The Bachelor and The Bobbysoxer
by PhilLeeGirl
Summary: A series of post-eps from Requiem to Judgment Day focusing on a budding relationship between Tony, the bachelor, and Maddie Tyler, the bobbysoxer. Thanks to bookworm45 for reminding me to post here!
1. After Requiem

**Author's Notes **The first in a series of post-eps from Requiem to Judgment Day focusing on a budding relationship between Tony (the bachelor) and Maddie (the bobbysoxer)

Why, you may well ask. 1.) The first time I watched "Requiem" I was struck by Tony's line about wanting to get to know Maddie. The line was supposed to be leering and obnoxious, but Tony has grown a lot the last year and I thought it would be interesting if there was a relationship between them. By the next morning, I'd talked myself into being a huge Tony/Maddie shipper. Granted it is a dingy surrounded by aircraft carriers in the NCIS shipper's ocean, but I'm always up for a challenge. 2.) My parents had a nearly twenty year age difference and were the happiest couple I ever knew, so I believe it works and like to explore it in fics.

* * *

"Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony looked up at the sound of the voice calling his name. In that moment she looked like a still from an old Grace Kelly movie – all beauty and elegant and color – framed in the door of his hospital room. For a moment he was struck dumb thinking about the close call that almost sent her to the angels and what a shame it would have been to waste that beauty. Clearing his throat, he found his voice and smiled, "Miss Tyler."

She returned the smile, three fold, as she walked into the room, "I think, Agent DiNozzo, that since you nearly died to save me you could call me Maddie."

"Well, Maddie," he winked at her and immediately wanted to Gibbs-smack himself, "I think you better call me Tony."

"Okay, Tony. How are you feeling," she curled herself into the chair next to his bed.

"I'm fine."

"Lair."

They blinked at each other for a moment. Somehow the exchange felt natural, normal. Not at all like to virtual strangers and certainly not like two people who had never spoken before.

"Sorry," the moment was broken by her apology and they were strangers once more. "Um… what's her name? The lady with the tattoos?"

"Abby," Tony supplied with a small chuckle.

Maddie's fingers snapped, "Abby, right. Well, Abby told me that you are being watched for pneumonia. That your lungs are damaged."

For the first time since she entered the room, he looked away from her, "Abby's got a big mouth. My lungs were damaged long before I went into the Potomac today. I had the plague a few years ago."

Her non-reaction startled him. Normally, people were shocked to meet someone who had had the plague, but she just said there staring at him. Finally, her head tilted to the side.

"Then why did you do it? I'm sure even if your doctors didn't tell you not to jump into polluted water in November and stay under long enough to pull two people out of a car and then do mouth to mouth, you could have figured out how that would have been a bad idea."

"Sure you ain't a Gibbs? That was snarky enough," Tony joked. Her silence was enough to tell him that smart comment or no, she wanted an answer. He sighed, "It's my job."

Her curls bounced as she shook her head, "No, it wasn't. That had nothing to do with NCIS. That was Jethro trying to right the wrong of not being able to save Kelly."

"Doesn't matter. My job is to watch my boss's six. And that is what I did. And I'd do it again. No matter what."

She nodded, "Well, thank you, Tony. For saving me and for watching out for Jethro. I'm sure Kelly would be grateful to know that people love him and that someone was looking out for her dad."

Even as he flashed her his most charming smile, a small blush rose on his cheek, "Don't mention it. I just love playing hero."

She laughed and rolled her eyes, "Get better, okay?"

"Will do. You stay out of trouble."

"I'll try. Maybe I'll see you around sometime," she stood and headed for the door.

Before crossing the threshold, she turned and strode back to his bedside. Suddenly her lips were on his, kissing him hard. He hesitated for a moment, before returning kiss. Her hands landed on his shoulders as his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.

When the kiss broke, she winked and smirked at him, "Didn't want you to think I always kissed like a drowned rat."

She scooted out of the room and he was left breathless for a second time.


	2. After Designated Targets

"Am I xenophobic?"

There was no greeting as he opened the door to his apartment for her; just the question that left her blinking up at him in complete and utter confusion. Thrusting the bag of take out at him, she shook her head, "What?"

"Am. I. Xenophobic," he repeated the question slowly.

She shrugged, "I have no idea."

"Do you know what it means? It means…"

"Tony," she cut him off as she moved passed him into the apartment towards the kitchen, "I'm very close to having my master's I know what xenophobic means. I just don't know if you're xenophobic. I mean in the last couple of months that I've known you; you haven't shown any signs of hating foreigners. But then, in this post-9/11 world most law enforcement officer are overly suspicious of any non-natives. And you aren't just a normal LEO; you work for the Navy. So, yeah, you might be a little xenophobic."

"So you do think that I'm a… a… racist, too. Lovely. I had hoped that my friend would see the truth."

Maddie sighed as she watched Tony storm off towards the balcony at the end of his living room. Opening the refrigerator, she grabbed two beers from the fruit drawer and used her foot to close it. Grabbing the bottle opener as well, she followed him to the balcony. As she sat on the end of the chaise by his legs, she handed him the beers and the opener, "Someone who is xenophobic isn't a racist. They just are afraid of foreigners. Those foreigners could be white, black, Asian, Arab, whatever. I'm sure when your grandfather immigrated to this country he met a lot of Englishmen who hated him because of where he was from even though they had the same skin tone. When I said that you might be a little xenophobic, I honestly meant because your occupation trained you to be that way. For good or bad. What is this all about, Tony?"

"Ziva," the word came out as a sigh as he dropped his head back against the chair. "We had this case with a woman and a cab driver… Anyhow, it was weird and Ziva was really weird. And she accused me of being xenophobic."

"Well, that is because she's in love with you," Maddie took a swig from one of the now open beers.

Tony's head popped up from the chair, "What? I mean… how did you know that?"

"Tony, Tony, Tony," Maddie smiled as she moved from the chair. "A woman knows these things. It's cold out here, I'm going in. If you don't join me in ten minutes, I'm eating your shrimp and starting the movie without you."

Before she could even open the first carton of Chinese food, Tony was sitting next to her on the couch, "I'm not in love with Ziva."

"I know."

"What do I do about it… her?"

Maddie shrugged as she handed him a fork and his carton of shrimp lo mien, "I don't know. I don't think that there is anything to do. Well, except still be her friend and hope that she finds someone else. Maybe nudge her in McGee's direction. I don't think he'd mind."

"I'm not playing matchmaker, missy," he stole one of her dumplings.

"Hey," she swatted his hand with her chopsticks, leaving a smear of soy sauce. "I'd do it, but you won't let me play with your friends."

Licking the sauce off his hand, he sighed, "I've told you, Mads. I just don't want Gibbs to get the wrong idea that's why I haven't told them we're hanging out."

"Sometimes, Tony, I think you've got the wrong idea. Jethro isn't going to care if we're friends. I need more duck sauce."

She headed for the kitchen and he was left wondering about the nature of their friendship yet again.


	3. After Lost and Found

"This kid even had a Ferrari bed just like the Ferrari that Magnum drove. How cool is that?"

Maddie laughed for what seemed like the two thousandth time during Tony's retelling of the last couple of days. Every new description of the child or his room or his habits made her explode in laughter.

As much as Tony loved hearing Maddie laugh, he was getting annoyed that he wasn't in on the joke. "What? What is so funny about this kid?"

"You really don't get it do you? This kid is you. He's your mini-me. He's a skirt-chaser, charming, movie and TV addicted nine year old version of you. I'll bet you were just like him at his age."

"Trust me, I was nothing like him at nine. At least he's got parents that actually like and love him," Tony's voice turned quiet and emotional as he moved from Maddie's futon. "Want a beer?"

Reaching out, she caught his wrist before he could move too far from her, "Tony, I'm sorry. I… Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," he gently extracted his hand and moved to her kitchenette, wishing they were at his place so that he could actually go into another room at the moment.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she sighed, "When I was little I used to wish I was a Gibbs. I thought Kelly was so lucky, cause her dad never beat her mom."

"What," Tony spun and stared at the beautiful young woman across the apartment from him. He thought he knew her so well. "Your dad beat your mom?"

"Until we were old enough for him to wail on us."

Two long strides and he was across the room, pulling her into his arms, "Maddie, I'm so sorry. I never knew. You… you don't seem like… I don't know… You just…"

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she smiled up at him, "We don't wear signs, Tone. We don't stamp on our foreheads, 'My father used me as a punching bag' or 'My father didn't care if I was left alone.' We carry the scars, the pain, the anger and the resentment on the inside. Until, we find someone we trust enough to share it with. My dad's dead and I've been to enough therapy to work out my issues, so it isn't something I talk about with everyone."

"Why me, Mads? Why tell me?"

"Cause, I've already trusted you with my life, now I think I can trust you with my soul."

Looking directly into her eyes, he gently caressed her cheek, "My mother died when I was eight years old, three months after that my father called me useless for the first time. I'd gotten a B on a math test that I was really struggling to understand. During my nightly report, while he was having his scotch, I told him. He called me useless and told me I'd wind up in the gutter. Until that moment I'd been damn proud of that B. The next time he called me useless…."

As Tony continued to talk, Maddie shifted them slightly, so that she could hold him as he told her the hard truths about the fool that hadn't loved a young Anthony DiNozzo.


	4. After Corporal Punishment

"What the hell happened to you?"

Tony flinched and took a step back as Maddie reached for the large white bandage across his nose, "Watch it. The painkillers have sadly worn off."

"Sorry," Maddie dropped her hand and tilted her head as she looked at him. "Seriously, though, what happened?"

"I ran into the Incredible Hulk and he was really, really pissed off."

She winced in sympathy, "Anything else hurt?"

"Well, since he nearly wiped out our whole team, my ego is still okay, but my stomach's rather bruised."

"Oh, poor Tony," she moved to hug him, but then thought better of it and stepped back, "why don't you go get a nice hot shower? By the time you're done, I'll have dinner ready."

Tony's eyes widened in panic, "You're cooking?"

Maddie rolled her eyes, "No, heating up your frozen spaghetti sauce and boiling water to make pasta, but I really resent the implication that I can't cook."

"You gave me food poisoning when you cooked that 'thank you for saving my life' dinner for me," Tony gave her one of his incredulous looks. "I was sick for three days!"

"Well, yeah, but that wasn't my fault! I didn't know that canned vegetable could go bad. Besides, we may never have become friends if I hadn't had to take care of you."

"Mads, I'm pretty sure that ipoisoning/i isn't a way to 'make friends and influence people.'"

Maddie stuck her tongue out at him, "Do you find it wise to make fun of me when all I'd have to do to cause you immense pain would be tweek your nose?"

"True," he gave her a slight smile as he started from his kitchen. "I'm going to take a quick shower and lie down till dinner, okay?"

"Sure. Do you have more pain pills?"

"In my backpack."

Already moving towards the front hall where she knew he dropped the bag, she called out, "You're taking a pill with dinner, so it will work better, and I'm staying on your couch tonight in case you need anything."

Tony smiled as he made his way to the bedroom in the back of the apartment. Until he met Maddie Taylor he'd never considered food poisoning a good thing, but sometimes it did have its benefits like someone who cared.


	5. After Tribes

"Well, what did you think?"

Tony pursed his lips and wrinkled his nose in thought as he interlaced his fingers with Maddie's stepping out of the theater and into the Marquee lights of Broadway, "I'm not really sure. It was good, but I'm not sure it is what Hitchcock had in mind for 'The 39 Steps'."

"It isn't," she wrapped her arm around his arm as they walked. "It is what Patrick Barlow envisioned for a loving, yet mocking stage play based on 'The 39 Steps' with only four actors. I thought that was brilliant and that the actors did an amazing job."

Tony laughed, "You just think that Charles Edwards was amazing cause you've had a crush on him since he was in iMurder Rooms/i."

"Well, that might be a little bit true," she joined in his laughter as she lifted his arm and snuggled against his side.

Tony's arm wrapped around her shoulders as they continued the leisurely stroll towards the restaurant that she'd chosen for after the theater. He'd never been a fan of Broadway; he'd always preferred watching the flickering lights of a movie reel to the burning spotlights of the stage. Frankly, having been raised in a cold Manhattan penthouse he wasn't a fan of New York and somehow Broadway seems to epitomize the city. Maddie, however, had never seen a Broadway play… had never even been to New York, so when she decided that she wanted to see a real Broadway play for her birthday he'd agreed to go back to New York. He'd let her chose the play, the restaurant, and the method of transportation. It amazed him that the play she'd chosen was based on a movie that he happened to love. After a few blocks of comfortable and companionable silence, Tony dropped a kiss on the top of Maddie's head, "Thanks."

"For what," she smiled up at him, mirth and confusion lighting in her eyes.

"For picking something that you knew I'd like. You've been wanting to come up to New York to see something on Broadway for months and when I finally agree you pick something that you knew I'd be interested in. That was very nice of you."

Maddie stopped and turned to look at him, "Tony, we're friends. Friends don't make plans to do something only because one person likes it. People don't become friends without common interests. Our common interest happens to be movies, so if I want to share another of my interests with you I'm going to do something movie related."

"So, when you drag me horseback riding can I quote John Wayne movie lines?"

"Of course. When you take me to car shows can I make a million references to iKnight Rider/i and iSpeed Racer/i?"

"Of course," he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and wrapped his arm around her again as he started walking. "What about people that don't have common interests? Can they still be friends?"

"If one or both make the effort. I think Ziva reading an entire book on movies is a worthy effort. Maybe you could try reading a book that she's read and discussing it with her."

Tony sighed, "How'd you know I was talking about Ziva?"

"Cause I can read your mind," she winked up at him.

"Oh, yeah? Well, what am I thinking right now?"

"Two things. One, you're hungry," she poked his stomach, "but the growling tummy gives that away. Two, you really need to see iThe 39 Steps/i again."

Opening the door to the little Italian bistro, Tony whistled, "Damn, you're good. So, this takes care of the stomach, but what do you think we should do about the movie?"

Fishing something out of her small purse, she dangled a locker key at him, "Remember that bag I stored in the locker at Grand Central when we got off the train?"

"Yeah," Tony drew out the single syllable.

"Inside it is a portable DVD player, headphones, and all three versions: 1935, 1959 and 1978. I figured we could watch on the ride home," she shot him a smug smile.

"Okay, that's just scary."

The maître d' arrived to Maddie's laughter.


	6. After Stakeout

"Why have we never done this before?"

Maddie sighed contentedly as she snuggled closer to his side, "I'm not sure. Course, I'm not sure why we did it tonight. What was that kiss when I walked in all about anyhow?"

"During this investigation I met an absolutely stunning, smart, sassy, funny detective in Metro and I was completely fascinated," he rolled to look at her, "by the fact that I compared her every movement and feature to you. I tried hitting on her, but I kept thinking 'what about Maddie.'"

Maddie propped herself up on her elbow, "So you decided, 'What the heck! When Maddie gets here tonight, I'm going to kiss her senseless and see what happens.'"

"Ah, pretty much," he gave her a slightly sheepish look.

"Well, thank heavens," she flopped back on the pillows. "I thought I was going to have show up naked or just frickin' jump you before you picked up on my signals."

"Oh, those where signals? God, I'm so rusty after the… after last year that I thought I was completely wrong. I have to admit that I was completely terrified that you were going to punch me right in the face. I was so relieved when you wrapped your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist, which I loved by the way."

Maddie leaned over him, "Tony, I've told you that I love you."

"I know, but there are so many different kinds of love." He wove his hands into her hair holding it away from her face so that he could look into her eyes, "With our age difference and our friendship, I never thought that you loved me the way I love you."

"You just said you love me."

"Yup, and it's true. I love you, Mads. As my best friend and as more. I'd like this to mean something, go somewhere."

She grinned at him for a few seconds before covering his mouth with hers in a passionate kiss.

When the kiss broke, he smiled up at her, "Can I take that as an agreement?"

"Most definitely."

"And what we just did? We can do it again?"

"Oh, you can count on that." She threw a leg over him, so that she was straddling his waist, "But this time I'm on top."

His response was swallowed by her kiss.


	7. After Dog Tags

"What's going to happen to Erica's dog?"

"Huh," Tony looked up from and across the hood of the 1966 green Ford Mustang that he was attempting not to actually drool on at Maddie.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head, "It's a 'stang, Tony. You've seen like twelve of them this morning alone. I asked what was going to happen to Erica's dog."

"Oh, I don't know," Tony rounded the front of the car. "And, this is the first '66 I've seen today. I need to relish the moment." Just as he bent to admire the grill work, he snapped his head again in Maddie's direction, "Why did you call Petty Officer Perelli Erica?"

"Cause I knew… know her. I've done some work with a vet that works on the Pax River dogs. I'd met Erica a few times. She seemed like a good person and a great dog handler. I can't believe she killed her dog."

"What about her killing Petty Officer Hanson?"

"Well, he was kinda a jerk." When Tony stood and stared at her incredulously, she shrugged her shoulders, "What? I'm not saying he deserved to die, but he was a sorta jerk and he wasn't a real good handler."

"Oh, my god. Did you just seriously justify a murder because the guy wasn't great with his dog?"

She scoffed, "Of course not, but the dog was innocent."

"So was Hanson… Why are you smiling like that," Tony waved his finger at her mouth.

Her smile increased, "We're having our first fight."

"No it isn't," he shook his head. "We've fought plenty of times before. Remember the great James Dean argument?"

"I know, but this is our first fight as a couple. It's different," she smiled as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Pulling her to him, he sighed, "Okay, you're getting pleasure out of this aren't you? You're enjoying having a fight because it is another 'first'." When she nodded, he shook his head, "You can be such a girl sometimes."

"One of the reasons you love me."

"Yes," he kissed her upturned lips. "Now, can stop talking about Perelli's dog and go look at the Corvettes?"

"Sure, if you promise to find out what is happening to her dog."

Tony sighed, "Fine, I'll find out, but there is no way in hell we're adopting an attack dog."

"Of course not," she pulled out of his arms and linked hands with him as they made their way to the Corvette section, "I figured we'd start with a Jack Russell."

"Maddie," Tony growled.

She simply smiled up at him.


	8. After Internal Affairs

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Tony muttered as he crawled onto the bed and laid his head in her lap.

Snorting slightly she leaned across him to snatch the towel he'd discarded after his shower when he'd changed into the dry clothes that she had laid out for him. Using the towel to gently dry his wet hair, she probed again, "You sure? It isn't every day that you run all the way from the Navy Yard to my place in the pouring rain."

"I know. Look," he caught one of her hands and gently kissed her palm, "I'll tell you about it, but for just a little while I want the peace and serenity of just being with you. Okay?"

Smoothing his hair back, she leaned down and kissed his temple, "Of course. Want to watch a movie?"

"Sounds good." A few seconds later when he saw the titled of the movie she was playing, he snorted slightly.

"Hey, it is a perfectly good movie."

He rolled so that he was laying on his back looking up at her, "I know. I like this movie. I just… Did you ever think that that was us?"

"iThe Bachelor and The Bobby-soxer/i? No. First, I don't have an older sister for you to fall in love with. Second, I'm no virginal Shirley Temple type, even with the blond curls. And, third, you're no Cary Grant."

"I don't mean literally. I mean the age difference, the difference in experience, just our general differences."

"Tony," she carded her hand through his hair, "what happened today? What's got you so upset?"

He made sure to keep his eyes locked on hers, "I saw Jeanne today. She accused me of murdering her father, but I think Jenny did it."

"Tony…"

"But the worst thing," he interrupted her, "was that I lied to her. I told her that what we had wasn't real. But it felt real. And it was just so easy to lie to her about that."

Maddie took a deep breath, but remained silent for several moments as she continued to weave her hand through his hair. Finally, she spoke quietly, "Tony DiNardo loved Jeanne Benoit very much, but did Tony DiNozzo ever really know her? Sure DiNardo and DiNozzo are a lot alike, but was it real? Maybe if it was so easy to say no than it wasn't... or maybe I'm just being selfish and wishful."

Tony looked up at the ceiling, "On the run over here I kept thinking about the night that we told each other about our fathers, about the fact that you are the only person I've ever told the whole story to, about the fact that I was trying to get to Jeanne's father, but never said a word about my own. Maybe Tony DiNardo loving her meant that Tony DiNozzo would be ready to love you." He looked back at her again, "I do love you, Maddie. First, I loved you as a friend and, now, I love you as my life."

Gently she pulled him up so that their foreheads touched, "I love you, too, Tony. As my friend, as my life. And this? This is very real."

"Very real," he repeated as he lowered his lips to hers. As they kissed he slowly laid her down, so that she was under him. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back and hovered over her, "Hey! What did you mean that I'm no Cary Grant?"

Maddie giggled, "Just that you're more a Steve McQueen type."

He smirked as their lips met in another kiss.


	9. During In the Zone

**notabobbysoxer:** How's Iraq?

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Just beautiful.

**notabobbysoxer:** Is that sacasm I'm detecting?

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ If you mean sarcasm, then yes.

**notabobbysoxer:** Shut up… you know I can't speel.

**notabobbysoxer:** I mean spell.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Jardine's looking at me funny cause I'm lol at the computer.

**notabobbysoxer:** Speaking of Jardine… how is she doing with all the dust and dirt and stuff.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ She's ok. Apparently, the washing thing is more about germs. Actually, she's a complete slob. It's nice. It reminds me of you and your apartment or mine after you been there five minutes.

**notabobbysoxer:** I just mentally punched your shoulder.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ I just winced.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ I do miss you though.

**notabobbysoxer:** I know, I miss you too.

**notabobbysoxer: **I'm at your place tonight. Hope that is okay.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Of course. I like the idea of you staying at my place… sleeping in my bed. Although, if I was there then we wouldn't be sleeping.

**notabobbysoxer:** Nuh uh, not doing that.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Doing what? He asks innocently.

**notabobbysoxer:** Innocent my ass. I'm not having cybersex with you on a government satellite.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Okay, first, you're one talking about your ass. Two, what if I was actually deployed over here. Three, that reminds me this government satellite sucks, so if I suddenly disappear its cause I lost signal not been blown up. Okay?

**notabobbysoxer:** Thanks :-(

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ What?

**notabobbysoxer:** I've been trying not to think about the fact that you could get blown up and you have to bring it up. And make a damn joke out of it. It isn't funny.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Sorry.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Maddie, are you still there? I really am sorry.

**notabobbysoxer:** I know, I just…

**notabobbysoxer:** What if something really does happen? Will I have to hear about it on the news? How will I know?

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Mads, I'm sorry. I should have told you. I changed the contact info before I left. If anything happens you'll get a call from NCIS… probably Jenny.

**notabobbysoxer:** Really?

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Yeah. Really. I changed all my emergency information and benefits to you. I mean, Gibbs will already know if something happens to me, so why have him as my emergency contact. Besides, you understand call waiting.

**notabobbysoxer:** Huh?

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Nothing. Just something I told Kate once.

**notabobbysoxer:** Okay.

**notabobbysoxer: **Thank you for doing that, btw. It means a lot to me. And it means a lot that I didn't have to ask.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ I try. I don't and won't always get it right but I try.

**notabobbysoxer:** You do pretty good.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Well, I'd better go. Jardine is trying to sleep and my clicking of the keys is keeping her up. Her eyes are sending death rays this way.

**notabobbysoxer:** Ooo… Scary. Get some sleep. You need to be sharp tomorrow.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Will do. Love you, Mads. I'll be home soon.

**notabobbysoxer:** Love you, too. I'll be waiting.

_morelikestevemcqueen:_ Have a good day.

**notabobbysoxer:** Sleep well.

_morelikestevemcqueen is now logged off_

**notabobbysoxer is now logged off**


	10. After Recoil

"I have come at a bad time, no?"

"No," Maddie smiled warmly at the woman at Tony's front door. "You're timing is perfect. We just finished dinner and I was… I was going out to get us some dessert."

"Mads, who is it? The movie's about to start," Tony suddenly appeared in the hallway behind Maddie. When he saw Ziva, he froze, "Oh. Hey, Ziva. Whatcha doing here?"

"I came to talk to you, but I see this is not the correct moment, so I shall just go," Ziva hooked her thumb over her shoulder indicating her path of exit.

Reaching out, Maddie gently pulled Ziva into the apartment, "No. You should stay. Talk to Tony. I'll get out of your hair."

Tony forced a smile, "Yeah, it's cool. Just give us a minute, okay?"

Ziva nodded and threw a smile at Maddie as she moved into the apartment, but she stayed just close enough to hear the conversation between them.

"I thought you were staying tonight," Tony whispered.

"I was," Maddie whispered back. "I thought you'd want to help Ziva. I thought you were a good friend."

"Low blow and you know it."

Reaching out, she caressed his cheek, "Yeah, it was and I'm sorry, but you need to be here for her. Tony, every day last week you complained that she wouldn't let you in, wouldn't let you help her. Well, she's here now so go help her."

"You are the best," he moved the hand on his cheek to kiss her palm. "I'll call you when she leaves?"

"Okay, I'll be at Meg's," standing on tiptoes she gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving the apartment.

Taking a deep breath, Tony turned and headed for his living room. Entering the room he realized that Ziva was glancing through the photos spread all over the coffee table. Before the doorbell had rung, Maddie was working on putting some recent pictures of the two of them into an album. The pictures and album had just been abandoned on the table, where Ziva discovered them.

A small smile lit Tony's face when he realized which two photos, Ziva's fingers were currently resting on; they were his favorites of the lot. The first had been taken a few weeks before at a riding competition that Maddie had been in. Maddie was astride her horse and he had reached up to kiss her good luck. Her friend Meg snapped the picture just before their lips met. He loved the look of joy and love they were giving each other. The second picture had been taken at the car show that they had gone to just the week before. One of the exhibitors had a red Ferrari 308GTSi just like Magnum had driven and somehow Maddie had charmed the owner into letting Tony take a picture actually leaning against the car. However, Tony had decided that she should be in the picture as well and the result was Tony leaning against the car in the classic Tom Selleck cocked-hipped, crossed-legged pose and Maddie leaning against him. His arms were wrapped around her waist and her arms were crossed over his. It was cheesy, but very much them.

"How long have you been dating," Ziva asked without looking up from the photos and proving that she knew he'd entered the room.

Crossing to the couch he gave her a smile, "That is a really easy question with a really hard answer and it all depends on your definition of dating."

Ziva looked up, "Alright, how long have you been fucking the college girl?"

"Hey," he reached out and grabbed the two pictures from under her hand and started shoving everything into the album. "It isn't like that. Clear? I love her."

"Oh," Ziva blinked at Tony for several moments before falling silent as she turned away from him. "I should leave."

Tony sighed, "No. I'm sorry, Ziva. I want you to trust me."

"And yet you don't trust me," she scoffed as she pointed to the album Tony held.

She was right. If he wanted her to let him in, to help her; he needed to do the same. He needed her to understand that his kindness didn't come from a sense of duty, but because he valued her as a friend. He sat on the couch and opened the album, "Maddie's got a thing about albums. She's got a couple from when she was a little girl with pictures of Kelly. The week after… after what happened, she invited me over for dinner to see the albums and cook me dinner. Unfortunately, she can't cook and I ended up with terrible food poisoning. I was sick for about three days. She felt so bad that she came over with movies everyday and took care of me. We found out we had a lot in common, liked the same movies and cars and TV shows. Although, most of those she's only ever seen in reruns or on DVD, but it doesn't matter much. She always says that maturity-wise we're about the same age and she's right."

Ziva sat next to Tony listening to his tale of the evolution of his relationship with Maddie from friendship to love. The pictures filling the album's pages echoed his words.


	11. After About Face

"Who's that with Tony?"

Ziva didn't even look up to answer Jimmy Palmer's question, "Maddie Tyler."

"Your Maddie Tyler," Abby asked Gibbs in wide eyed amazement.

Gibbs eyes swept across the nearly deserted bar, locking onto the people in question, "She's not my Maddie Tyler, Abs. She's her own person."

"I don't know, it looks like she's Tony's Maddie Tyler," McGee gestured to the bar where they had stopped to get drinks.

With their backs to the table it was clear that they had their arms wrapped around each other. Tony's arm was draped around her shoulders, while her arm transverse his back and her hand was tucked in the back pocket of his jeans. Even as they turned from collecting the drinks, they remained wrapped together as they made their way towards the table where the team was sitting.

"Palmer," Tony happily exclaimed as they neared the table. "How did you find a bar like this? The wooden dance floor, the grizzled barkeep, the ancient jukebox. It's like the bar in iRoad House/i, before Patrick Swayze beats the crap out of it."

"You are no Patrick Swayze, Tone," Maddie teased with a wink up at Tony.

Rolling his eyes, Tony nudged her, "Everyone, you might remember Maddie Tyler. Mads, the team."

"Good to see you all again." Maddie quickly moved to give Gibbs a small peck on the cheek, "Hi, Jethro."

Standing, Gibbs pulled out the car next to him, "Hey, Maddie."

With a small clearing of his throat, Tony sat in the chair on the other side of Maddie, "Okay, I'm sure that you all have a million questions for us, but I just want to toast Palmer first. Jimmy, what you did today was incredibly stupid and reckless. It was also enormously brave and I was very proud of you. Now, don't do anything like that ever again. Okay?"

"Okay," Jimmy agreed a proud, yet embarrassed grin gracing his face.

"To Mr. Palmer," Ducky raised his glass and everyone else followed suit.

A few more words of praise and teasing admonishment flowed in Jimmy's direction before Abby could no longer contain herself. Leaning across Gibbs, she asked Maddie, "How long have you been together?"

"That is a really easy question with a really hard answer and it all depends on your definition of together," Maddie laughed as she also leaned closer to Abby.

Abby shrugged, "Well, I don't know about the boys and Ziva, but I'm on my third Red Bull and Vodka, so I've got all night. Well, except for potty breaks."

Maddie laughed again, before starting the tale, "I am the world's worst cook. One of the best things I do is coffee and that is so bad Jethro won't even drink it."

Abby turned to Gibbs, who nodded his head in confirmation, and then turned astonished eyes back to Maddie.

"Yup, I can't cook. But sometimes a lack of a skill can be beneficial. I mean if I could cook, then I wouldn't have given Tony food poisoning, I wouldn't have spent the weekend taking care of him, we wouldn't have found out all the things we have in common, we wouldn't have become friends and we wouldn't have fallen in love."

"You gave him food poisoning," McGee asked the question with laughter in his voice.

"Yup," Maddie turned and smiled at Tony, "a terrible case of it. In the end, it worked out for the best."

Leaning towards her, Tony gave her a soft kiss on the lips, "It would have happened anyhow. While you tell them about how we like the same movies, TV show, and music and how we go to car shows and riding competitions together; and they all sit there flabbergasted that you've got me horseback riding, I'm going to check out the jukebox."

"Okay," she smiled as she returned the kiss.

After making his way across the empty dance floor, Tony stood slowly flipping through the song collection just waiting. As he could have predicted, soon he felt a familiar presence next to him. "This is impressive, Boss. It's a 'two songs for a quarter' box, but it has some really new and different stuff."

"I don't care about the jukebox, Tony."

"I know." Memorizing the numbers of the two songs he wanted, Tony turned and looked at his boss, "What I'm not sure about is if you care about Maddie. Or if you look at her, see your eight year old daughter and want me as far away from her as possible. Truthfully, I understand. I love Maddie and am terrified of hurting her, but she's not eight or eighteen. She's young, a lot younger than me, but she's lived a lot in her few years. I think she might be the only person, besides you, who really understands me and knows me. I know that I'm the only person who knows and understands her. No matter what, know I love her and she loves me. Listen to the words of the songs; I think they may explain what I can't." With that, and not waiting for a reply, he slipped a quarter into the machine and punched two three digit numbers into the keypad.

After just the first few notes started playing, Maddie turned in her seat and looked at Tony. Moving to the middle of the dance floor, he opened his arms and almost instantly she was in them. The song obviously meant something special to them and slowly, they moved to the melody. When the singer started, Gibbs found himself concentrating on the words.

centerYou're my best friend  
And I haven't got many  
But I would do anything for you  
I got problems  
But I ain't stuck for answers  
Cause chances are  
You'll know what to do

I'm only human  
I still forget  
The wrong from the right  
But you haven't held it  
Against me yet  
Even when we fight

I get mixed up  
Frightened of failing  
And just as afraid  
When dreams come true  
And there you are  
As far from disaster  
As that old man  
Up in the moon

You're my best friend  
And I haven't got many  
But I would do anything for you  
When the wind blows  
Those rainclouds above me  
Nobody loves me  
Like you do  
You're my best friend/center

When the song ended, Tony was facing Gibbs, who nodded slowly. Tony smiled, knowing that Gibbs understood the importance of their relationship.

Suddenly, the music changed to something completely different. Gibbs found himself laughing as Tony swept Maddie up into his arms and began dancing to the more up-tempo country song. Still, the words caught him and resonated.

centerShe ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She don't love carelessly that's what I've always heard  
'Can't use the usual lines she measures every word  
No empty promises proof is what it takes to win her heart  
The truth and nothing less, simple things that set her far apart  
Save your diamonds and your furs she's not your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary, no she's not  
She ain't your ordinary girl  
She ain't your ordinary, oh no  
She ain't your ordinary girl

No midnight alibis, no foolish games for her  
And if you cross the line you'll get what you deserve  
But when you see her smile nothing seems to matter anymore  
And in a little while you'll feel like you've never felt before  
Like no other in the world, she's not your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary, no she's not  
She ain't your ordinary girl  
She ain't your ordinary, oh no  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

Save your diamonds and your furs, she ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl

She ain't your ordinary  
She ain't your ordinary girl/center

When the song finished, Tony and Maddie staggered back to the table and collapsed into the chairs they had vacated earlier. The rest of the team greeted them with laughter and applause, but Gibbs just gave them a small smile and nod. He approved.

* * *

Author Notes 2: "Best Friend" by Jude Johnstone and A. Johnson from the "Blue Light" album - great album!

"She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl" by Alabama from the "For the Record" album – I want this as my ringtone.


	12. After Judgement Day

"Can they really do this?"

"Of course they can. They are the Government; I'm a Government Agent." He threw another pile of shirts at his duffle bag, "Ergo, I gots to do whats they tell me."

She cracked a small smile at the accent he used, but it didn't last long as she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her long, thin arms around her legs. Part of her wanted to move to the end of the bed and fold the shirts properly, but more of her wanted to just stay where she was in the middle of his bed. "Agent Afloat. That doesn't sound like a lot of fun."

"Probably because it isn't, but it is what you get when you get the Director of a federal agency killed."

"Tony," this time she did move. She crawled down the bed until she could reach his waist and gently pulled him down by the belt loops. Kneeling behind him she wrapped his arms around his shoulders and kissed his ear before gently whispering in it, "It wasn't your fault. Jethro told you that. Ziva told you that. Hell, even McGee told you that. Director Shepherd had her own agenda. Just somehow you ended up being hurt by it again."

"Don't," he tried to pull away, but gave in easily as she tightened her hold. "Just don't talk bad about Jenny right now, okay? She… She did the best she could and I don't think she ever really intended to hurt anyone."

She kissed his ear again, "I know, I'm sorry. The last thing I want to do on our last night together is fight."

"Hey," he turned to look at her, "this isn't our last night, okay? This is our last night for a little while, but there will be shore leave and… Oh, god, Mads. Who am I trying to kid? You need more than that. You deserve more than that. You deserve a man who will actually be here for you, who will be able to spend time with you and take care of you. I'm not that man."

"What I deserve, Anthony DiNozzo, is to be allowed to make up my own mind. Sure, this won't be the best few months of our relationship or our lives, but it isn't forever. But, us… you and me… we are forever. We love each other and we're making a life together. A few months apart isn't going to change that. Do you understand me?"

He nodded slowly, "How did I luck into you?"

"Someone decided that you needed to be rewarded for good behavior," she laughed as she crawled into his lap.

"Move in here."

Maddie blinked up at him for a few seconds, "What?"

"Move in here. Look, I'm going to keep the apartment, so it doesn't make sense for you to keep your place, too. If I know you're living here, then I'll feel like we're closer or something," he shrugged towards the end of his speech and colored just slightly.

For a few seconds she looked away from him and when she looked back tears swam at her eyelashes, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, but I'm not moving out when Jethro gets you back on his team."

"And, I'm not going to ask," he smiled as he brushed away her tears and closed the distance between them for a kiss.


	13. Dai sing siu si aka Leaving Me, Loving

The second part of The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer series. This takes place during Tony's assignment to the USS Reagan. The LJ prompt table this was written for has dark themes and so does this part of the series. You've been warned.

The dingy that was the Tony/Maddie ship has actually grown. Pretty soon we might get our own fishing trawler!

* * *

It wouldn't be first light for a few more hours, but Leroy Jethro Gibbs leaned against the side of the agency issued black Dodge Charger sipping a rapidly cooling coffee and staring into the distance for the twin glow of headlights. There was no way his Senior Agent… damn it Tony was still his Senior Agent despite what Vance may have done… was leaving without Gibbs talking to him, telling him that it would be resolved and he'd be home soon. Gibbs had called the night before offering him a ride to the base, but Tony had decline saying that he already had a ride. Still Gibbs was going to be there.

When the unmistakable headlights of a Corvette came into view, Gibbs shook his head wondering what Tony was thinking as he wouldn't be allowed to leave the car on the base. He actually pushed away from the Charger in shock when Tony's 'Vette parked next to him and Tony climbed out of the passenger side.

"Hey, boss," Tony greeted him casually as he walked to the rear and lifted the glass hatch to pull out his duffle. "Told ya' I had a ride. You didn't need to get up at this hour."

"Don't listen to him," Maddie came around from the driver's side and leaned against the 'Vette. "He would have been so upset if you hadn't been here."

Gibbs leaned into the Charger and pulled out a large coffee, "I only got one."

"No big deal," Tony took a sip before he handed it to Maddie and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Maddie took a pull on the cup and laid her head on Tony's shoulder, "How long do you think Tony will be on this assignment?"

"Not long," Gibbs's tone let no room for argument.

But, Tony wasn't one to back down from any argument, "I don't think you're going to be able to fix this one, boss."

"DiNozzo, I will get you back to the Navy Yard and it will be sooner rather than later. That is a promise," his eyes bore into Tony's.

"Yes, boss," Tony nodded at his boss's reassurance. "Hey, could you do me a favor though?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Maddie's moving into mine. Can you give her a hand getting things moved over and set up?"

Gibbs looked at Maddie, "You're moving in with Tony?"

"Well, for right now I'm moving in with his stuff, but I'm sure you'll get him home before I get to play with all his toys," Maddie smiled up at Tony and for a moment it was apparent that they had forgotten Gibbs was even there as they stared at each other. Finally Maddie raised on her tiptoes and gently kissed Tony's lips.

When the kiss deepened, Gibbs turned his head and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, boss," Tony blush slightly breaking the kiss.

Before Gibbs or Maddie could respond a member of the flight crew approached, "Agent DiNozzo?"

"That'll be me," Tony sighed raising his hand.

"Ah. We'll be taking off shortly and need you on board," the tall red-haired man explained.

"Give me one minute?"

"Sure." He gestured to the duffle at Tony's feet, "I'll take your bag."

Tony handed it off to him, "Thanks, Captain. I'll be there in a minute."

The man nodded and trotted of back towards the plane.

"So," Tony looked at both Gibbs and Maddie, "guess this is it." Turning to Maddie, he asked, "Remember what I told you?"

"Rent and car payments get automatically paid by the bank. Checkbook to pay credit cards and utility bills is in the top right drawer of the desk."

Tony nodded, "I left a letter for Jeff to add you to the lease. And I called Discover card to add you to the account. Anything you need for the apartment you can use that or the checking account, okay?"

"Yeah," Maddie nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You better come home before I use all your money."

Tony laughed and kissed her nose, "I'm more concerned that you'll paint the whole apartment pink."

Tears formed in Maddie's eyes, "Just come home to me, Anthony DiNozzo."

"I promise, Madelyn Tyler," Tony pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly and deeply. Breaking the kiss, but keeping Maddie against him, Tony turned to Gibbs, "Boss…"

"DiNozzo," Gibbs interrupted, "you will be back."

"I trust you, boss," Tony let go of Maddie and put his hand out to Gibbs.

Gibbs put his hand in Tony's, but instead of shaking it he pulled the younger man into a hug. "I promise," he whispered in Tony's ear.

Tony nodded against Gibbs shoulder.

"Agent DiNozzo, we're ready to leave," the Captain appeared again by them.

Releasing Gibbs, Tony smiled, "Tell Abs and McGeek goodbye for me."

Gibbs nodded.

Tony quickly pulled Maddie into one last deep kiss, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered around the lump in her throat.

Tony kissed her forehead and turned to the Captain, "Lead on."

Watching Tony walk towards the jet that would take him to USS Reagan, Gibbs moved to stand next to Maddie. They stood silently as he boarded the plane and it taxied out to the runway. As the plane roared to life and blasted down the runway, Gibbs wrapped an arm around Maddie's shoulders. Instantly, Maddie buried her head in Gibbs's chest as sobs wracked her body. Gibbs wrapped her in his arms, whispering words of comfort.


	14. Mia thalassa makria aka A Sea Apart

The character of Sammie Weeks is loosely based on a modernization of Samantha Stewart from _Foyle's War_. So sad that is over.

* * *

Tony looked up when he heard the knock on his cabin door and smiled at the young sailor standing there, "Mail here?"

"Yes, si… Agent DiNozzo," she stepped over the threshold. "You got a package, as usual."

"Thanks," Tony took the package and tore into it. The box of Clownie Cakes on the top of the stack of envelopes was immediately opened and as he bit into one, he handed the box to the young sailor, "Clownie Cake, Sammie?"

Seaman Samantha Weeks shook her head, "No thanks, Agent DiNozzo. Package from your girlfriend?"

"Yeah," Tony mumbled around the snack cake. "Not the Clownie Cakes, they're from Abby. Maddie doesn't like to feed me sugar."

Sammie laughed, "She's smart."

"Very," Tony smiled as he started pulling the various envelopes and organizing them on the desk.

"Agent DiNozzo, can I ask you a question?"

Tony sighed, "Only if you start calling me Tony, like I've asked."

"Sorry… Tony. It just seems weird. I just spent months in training learning to call everyone 'sir' or 'ma'am' and you want me to call you Tony," Sammie pursed her lips like it was a difficult concept.

"I'm not Navy, I just work for it. Besides, I'm going to get you to the dark side sooner or later. You'd make a great investigator."

Sammie blushed, "Thanks, si… Agent… Tony."

"Better, but still needs work," Tony laughed as he stood and placed one of the piles in his locker and one by his berth. "What you want to know?"

"What's with all the letters? I mean, every package you must get like twenty letters," Sammie pointed to the remaining pile of letters on his desk.

"Twenty-one, actually. The observation was good, but the details and specifics are what you really need." Tony nodded to the only chair in the room and sat on his berth, "So, what does that suggest."

Sammie's eyes narrowed in concentration, "Well, twenty-one could be… twenty-one is… three times seven is twenty-one." Tony swore he could see the light bulb turn on over her head, "Maddie sends you three letters for each day of the week. One for the morning, the one you put in your locker with your shaving kit. One for midday… or whenever you're bored, the one you leave on your desk. And one for evening, the one you put in your berth."

"Precisely! Good work, Sherlock," Tony laughed.

"But, why? Don't you guys email?"

"Sure," Tony shrugged. "We email a few times a day, IM at least once a day, and talk on the sat phone once a week, but Mads got a thing for… What do you call paper stuff?"

"Letters," Sammie suggested.

Tony shook his head, "No, you know paper memoirs."

"Oh, like ephemera?"

Tony snapped his fingers, "That's it. Mads got a thing for letters and cards and photos. She's got to have a hundred photo albums, at least from since we started dating. And I think she's saved every note I ever left her."

"Why?"

"When Maddie was eight years old her best friend and her best friend's mom were killed. All Maddie's every really had of Kelly was her memories and the pictures and notes they shared as kids. And, if she didn't have that, then she would have anything."

"So, she clings to paper and photos afraid that if something happens that is all she'll have of you," Sammie surmised.

Tony nodded, "Right. Once I've read the letters a few hundred times, I send them back to her with notes about the various stains and smudges on them after I'm done and my own letters."

"That is so sweet." Sammie tutted at Tony's eye roll, "No, it is. Maybe someday your kids will read those letters and see that even though you were apart you still loved and cared for each other."

Tony pulled out the open letter that was tucked in his shirt pocket and just soaked in Maddie's swirling handwriting without reading it, "Yeah, that wouldn't be so bad."


	15. Bomba u 10 i 10 aka Bomb at 10:10

The digital clock turned and Tony made a joke about 1010 WINS, the twenty four hour radio station he grew up listening to in New York, and how nothing news worthy ever happened at 10:10.

With a polite laugh at his lame joke, she started from the room. Sammie had been with him too long; she still had packages to deliver and other daily duties. An increased rocking of the ship caused her to stumble into the hall.

They never heard the explosion, never felt the blast.

But, then they say that you never hear the bomb that kills you.


	16. Tutti i colori del buio

Tony woke to total darkness and knew something was wrong, neither Maddie's nor his place was ever totally dark. The dark in Maddie's apartment was tinged with the yellow light of the sodium bulded streetlamp outside her window that crept in around the drawn curtains and closed blinds; while the dark in his apartment was tinged with the indigo glow of his alarm clock. His brain seemed wrapped in cotton wool as he laid there trying to remember the night before, where they might be, what they might have drunk. Finally he could vaguely remember some low rumbles as he sat on the bed and decided that they must have had a storm and lost electricity. Satisfied by the explanation for the complete darkness and confident that the battery backup in his alarm would wake him, Tony closed his eyes and reached for Maddie to go back to sleep.

His searching hand didn't find her soft instead it hit a cool, hard metal wall. Again he opened his eyes. Memory flooded back into his consciousness. He wasn't with Maddie, he wasn't at home, he was Agent Afloat on the USS Reagan. The last thing he remembered of that was talking with Seaman Sammie Weeks and then…

Bomb!

Tony sat up, ready to go to action, but fiery agony ripped through the left side of his body. Now retching up the remains of his breakfast, Tony fought to remain conscious and alive.


	17. Boli li? Prvata balkanska dogma

The wave of nausea that had attacked Tony when he first moved was slowly subsiding. He was no longer in danger of losing any more of his breakfast and he was grateful as he didn't think there was any more for him to lose. His eyes were adjusting slightly to the lack of light and he could make out bits of his cabin, which was fairly destroyed. Wiping his mouth as best he could, he gingerly and painfully moved to a sitting position.

With a deep, steadying breath, he began running his hand over his body starting on the right side, which didn't seem as painful. As his hand moved he encountered a few cuts and sore spots that would certainly result in bruises in the next few days. When he reached his hip he found a lump that at first terrified him until her remember it was his small maglight. Pulling it out of his pocket he flicked it on to visually inspect his left side. As he had expected from the pain, several ribs were definitely broken. However, the thing that worried him most was a huge gash in his leg. Actually, it was the piece of metal in the huge gash that worried him.

Fighting down a renewed wave of nausea at the sight, Tony turned to flashlight out into the room hoping to see something that would help. The beam of light happened to land on Maddie's picture and tears unexpected welled in his eyes.

"I promised you that I was coming home and it will not be in a box," Tony swore to the picture. "Please, babe, help me figure this one out."

Just then the ship lurched again and the light dipped to illuminate an unopened bottle of water laying on towels in his gym bag.

Tony swung the beam back to Maddie's picture, "You're brilliant."

Carefully easing himself off the berth, Tony reached across the small cabin and grabbed the bag. Thumping back down onto the thin mattress cause a white, hot poker of pain to race through his leg and he cried out. Several shallow breaths later he was composed enough to pull the water bottle and towels from the bag. Unscrewing the top of the bottle, Tony gritted his teeth before pouring the water into the wound. It stung, but not as badly as he expected. Next he grabbed a towel to start making a tourniquet, when suddenly he heard Maddie's voice in his head. She had read him an article about tourniquets having now been declared dangerous because they cut off all blood flow and could lead to amputation. Granted, the article had been about the care of an injured animal, but he didn't think amputation sounded like a good thing. Remembering that she had said or read that the wound should be wrapped firmly enough to stop the bleeding but not constrict circulation, he wrapped the towels securely but not tightly around his leg and tied them gently.

Again grabbing the flashlight, he swung it quickly around the cabin. There was little there he could salvage, but he grabbed a piece of the handrailing that had come off the wall to use as a walking stick. Slowly, he started to try to leave the room, but stopped. He grabbed the picture of Maddie from his desk and the letters that he had earlier put in the berth and shoved them in his breast pocket.

Once again he started from the cabin and toward the horrors that would meet him in the corridors.


	18. O Dia do Desespero aka Day of Despair

However bad his cabin had been, the corridor was worst. The heavy metal sheets that created the walls had been peeled back much like a banana and Tony found himself reliving the bombing that had nearly cost them Gibbs. Shaking off the thought, Tony moved away from what must have been the epicenter of the blast as there would be no one left to help there.

Hobbling, using the wood railing for support, Tony slowly and painfully crept along the semi-clear area directly next to the wall. He'd seen enough of Abby's recreations to know that debris must have hit the far wall, the wall he was pressed against, and ricocheted back a few inches or more away leaving a fairly easy area to pass.

He'd gone barely a few feet when a familiar and ghastly smell hit his nose. The smell of burnt flesh was one you'd never forget as it permeated your sensory memory. Easing himself from the wall, he swung the beam of flashlight in slightly wider arches to try to locate the source of the smell. Finally, the beam caught just the edge of a twitching hand. Slowly he slid the light along the arm until it rested on the victim's burnt face. Two gray eyes peered at him from a red and blistered face.

A sob escaped him before he could prevent it.

His injuries forgotten, he hurried and dropped to their side, "Oh, Sammie!"


	19. Vérités et mensonges aka Truth and Lies

Tony reached out to touch Sammie, but stopped. With the burns covering much of her face and body he couldn't fathom where touch wouldn't hurt her. Finally, wanting to offer some comfort, he gently laid a hand on the singed braid that she always wore leading to a knot at the base of her neck.

Her gray eyes locked onto his green ones, "I'm dying aren't I, Tony?"

"Now you call me Tony," he forced the words out around the lump in his throat.

"Don't think I'm in danger of ever having you as my boss in NCIS now," her wry chuckle turned to a coughing fit, which turned to screams of pain.

As she writhed in pain, Tony held her down trying to keep her still, "Sammie. Sammie. Sammie! Listen to me. You. Are. Not. Dying. Do you hear me? I will not allow you to die on my watch."

"You're a bad liar, Tony," she stilled, even through the pain she felt comforted by Tony. "I can't believe they ever let you go undercover."

"Hey, it was my specialty. Actually it still is," Tony looked around like he was checking for eavesdroppers, which made her smile. "You see, I'm not really an NCIS agent; I just play one on TV."

Sammie laughed lightly, but immediately tears started rolling down her cheeks, stinging as the saline leaked into the open wounds, "Is it safe for you to be here?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine until someone comes and gets us," Tony felt his own tears starting to flow.

"Okay," she briefly closed her eyes, her breathing was becoming more labored. "If things get worst then you have to leave me. Okay?"

"Sammie…"

"No, Tony, promise me. You need to get home to Maddie," knowing that he had been about to protest, she interrupted him.

"I promise," the lie fell easily from his lips. He knew that if he had to, he would carry her the length of the ship if it might save her.

She held out her hand to him and delicately he grasped the blistered skin with his own. Looking into her eyes, he could see pain warring with weariness and defeat. The last thing he wanted was for her to give up and he desperately searched his brain for something to keep her fighting. Suddenly, he smiled, "Hey. Have I ever let you read one of Maddie's letters?"

"No," her eyes drooped again.

"How about I read you today's letter?"

A ghost of a smile peeked through the raw skin, "I'd like that."

"Great," Tony gave her a smile as he fished in his pocket for one of the letters that he saved from his cabin. Opening it one handed, so not to lose contact with Sammie, he pulled out a piece of Maddie's lavender stationary. The light was so dim that he could barely see the words on the page, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was keeping Sammie awake and fighting. Tony started, "'Hey there Steve McQueen….'"

"What," Sammie snorted.

"She happens to think I look like Steve McQueen."

Sammie laughed and coughed a little, but still got out, "You never told me she was blind."

Tony smiled. This was going to work. This was going to be the thing that kept her holding on until help arrived.

He pretended not to know that he was lying to himself.


	20. Ay, pena, penita, pena! aka Oh Pain

The words that Maddie had written had flowed from Tony's lips for over an hour. Some of the words were truly intimate and some were mundane, but Tony kept reading. Somehow he hoped that between the sound of his voice and his presence Sammie's pain would be lessened. Still, as time passed, he could watch her eyes grow more clouded and her face more etched with pain. He was beginning regret not trying to get them both out of the blast area, but frankly he didn't think that he could move her or that she would survive the trip.

Speaking the last few words of the letter he was reading Tony kissed the paper, a habit he'd developed in lieu of kissing Maddie goodnight or good morning, and folded it back into its envelop. He had started to pull another one out, when he felt Maddie's hand tug at him.

When he smiled questioningly at her, she whispered to him, "She's the one. She's the girl that going to stick around and make you happy. You'll finally feel ready to get down on one knee and she'll say yes. She'll make you a daddy and you'll do anything for her. You will have eternity together."

"Not sure I believe I'll get my happy ending," Tony sighed.

"I've seen it. While you've read her words, I've seen your future and it is beautiful." Sammie gave him an impish smile and for a moment the pain seemed to drift off her features, "Don't tell Sam Jethro that he's name after a girl until he's at least 17. And don't worry, name K.C. Kelly Caitlyn won't make her morbid, nor will she die young, but her Aunt Abby will turn her Goth."

Tony stared at Sammie. He'd never once mentioned Kate to the young woman and, although he had told her about Gibbs, he never said that Gibbs's was called Jethro. It made no sense that she would know any of that. "How do you know that?"

"It's been like a movie playing in my head, in black and white for some reason. Tony, please, promise me that you'll marry Maddie, that you'll survive so that Sam and K.C. can become reality."

Tony nodded, a tear gathering at the corner of his eye, "I promise."

A look of tranquility passed over her, "Kelly's happy that her dad will get to walk Maddie down the aisle. Be happy, Tony."

"I will," he whispered.

Suddenly, Sammie's pain was back and her whole body began writhing and contorting in agony.

Tony's chest tightened as he knew there was nothing he could do.


	21. Der Müde Tod aka The Weary Death

Sammie's body continued to convulse and Tony could feel the bile rising in his belly, but he resisted for Sammie's sake. He needed to be strong for her in her last few moments. Although he knew it would cause them both great pain, Tony gently, but firmly wrapped his arms around Sammie's small body and pulled her onto his lap. He never felt the metal lodged in his leg move, cause his only concern was for Sammie. Holding her close, he gently rocked her like a child and softly sang an old Italian lullaby that he remembered his Nona singing when he was a little boy.

_Ninna nanna di pace che invento  
Pensando a un bambino  
Che è arrivato stanotte dal mare col freddo che fa  
Trasportato sulle ali del vento  
Da un paese lontano, fin qua  
Con in tasca il ricordo più dolce di un'altra città._

_Ninna nanna di pace e domani sarà un giorno nuovo Come dentro una fiaba che parla di felicità  
Senza l'ombra del lupo cattivo e la strega non arriverà Con un Re che assomiglia a mio nonno che la guerra non fa._

_E canterò piano in una lingua che oggi tu non conosci, E all'improvviso ogni parola capirai.  
E sarà un canto di pace, di amicizia e fantasia  
Ninna nanna e la tua mano é nella mia._

_Ninna nanna di pace per chi oggi tende la mani  
Oltre il muro cercando qualcuno con cui giocare Aspetta fino a domani  
E vedrai svanire quel muro  
Ninna nanna di pace a chiunque la pace non ha..._

_E nella mia casa la tua casa tu ritroverai  
é piena di giochi e se vorrai saranno tuoi  
Ma forse il gioco più me lo insegni  
proprio tu_

_Ninna nanna e la paura non c'è più!_

_Corri con me per un grande nascondino  
Felice perché sai che io ti troverò  
E dentro un bel sole il tuo sorriso  
Brillerà insieme al mio  
E saremo due fratelli tu ed io_

_Ninna nanna e la tua mano é nella mia!_

As the last few words floated from his lips he realized that the young woman in his arms was perfectly still. One look in her gray eyes was all he needed to know that her spirit was no longer in her body.

Shifting her even closer, he dropped his face into her singed hair and cried.

When the tears subsided, he looked to heaven and intoned the words taught to him when his mother died. Words he repeated when Kate and Jenny died. Words he feared he'd repeat many times again.

"Eternal rest grant unto Sammie, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen."

* * *

English translation:  
Lullaby of peace that I invent  
Thinking of a baby  
Arrived tonight from the sea with the cold it does  
Transported on the wind wings  
From a faraway Country to here  
With a sweeter memory of another town in his pocket.

Lullaby of peace and tomorrow will be a new day  
Like inside a fairy tale telling of happiness  
Without the shadow of bad wolf and the witch won't come  
With a king like my grandad who doesn't do the war.

And I'll sing slowly in a language you don't know today  
And suddenly every word you'll understand.  
And it'll be a song of peace, of friendship and fantasy.  
Lullaby and your hand is in mine.

Lullaby of peace for who stretches the hands today  
Over the wall looking for someone to play with  
Just wait until tomorrow  
And you'll see the wall disappear  
Lullaby of peace to all who don't have the peace…

And in my home you'll find your home  
It is full of toys and if you want they'll be yours.  
But may be the nicest game is  
you will teach me.

Lullaby and the fear isn't here anymore!

Run with me for a big Hide and seek  
Happy because you know I'll find you  
And inside a beautiful sun your smile  
Will shine with mine  
And we'll be like brothers, you and me

Lullaby and your hand is in mine!


	22. Mollenard aka Hatred

The time that passed from Sammie's death to the first sounds of rescue crews searching the area was a numb, distant memories. And Tony was sure that they would always be forgotten moments of his life. Just as he was sure the feeling of holding Sammie's charred remains in his arms would linger with him always. Until he had heard the unmistakable sounds of men and women searching for survivors, Tony wondered if he would survive this ordeal, if the pretty picture of his son and daughter that Sammie had painted would ever be a reality. Now, he wondered if he should survive. Why should he have been given another chance when he'd already screwed up his life in so many ways and Sammie hadn't even begun to live hers.

When finally the steel before him gave way and he came face to face with the USS Reagan's lead medic, Tony wasn't sure who he hated more. The rescuers for being hours too late to help Sammie. The people who had done this to them. God for letting this happen. Himself for being strong enough to survive. Or Maddie for giving him the will to survive.

All he knew was his rage came pouring out in anguished curses and cries at those who were sent to save him until the world went blank and he knew nothing.


	23. Coeurs brisés aka The Broken Heart

Sounds woke Tony. Annoying sounds. First there was a steady and rhythmic beeping. Then there was a swoosh followed by a click. And all he wanted was to go back to sleep for a few more hours. He sighed.

Suddenly an alarm started blaring and Tony's eyes flew wide open. There was something stuck in his throat and he began to panic. Just as he was about to lose it, Maddie's face appeared directly over him. Her long, soft fingers ran over his face and down his neck caressing and soothing him.

"It's okay, Tony. Everything's okay. You're in the Naval Hospital in Okinawa and they have you on a ventilator. You just need to calm down and let it do its job. Jethro's gone to get your doctor, but I'm sure the alarm has them running. They're going to get you of this thing as soon as possible. Brad wasn't happy that they had to put you on it, but you were being stubborn about breathing for the surgery."

Tony wished he could smile. Maddie's rambling was the best thing he'd heard in ages. Carefully lifting his arm, which he could feel had an IV in; he brought his fingertips to her cheek. She snuggled into his touch for a moment before turning to kiss his fingertips.

"Well," a man's voice he didn't know chuckled from behind Maddie, "if you're ready to get romantic, young man, then I guess you're ready to get off this infernal machine, huh?"

Tony resisted the urge to nod and let Maddie answer for him.

"I think he is, Dr. Hunnicutt."

Tony's eyes widen when he looked at the grey haired doctor.

"Yes, I know. A man named Hunnicutt working as a military doctor is ironic, but at least I choose Navy over Army," the doctor smiled as he moved closer to the head of the bed. "Well, Agent DiNozzo, let's get this thing out of there, huh? Dr. Pitt, back at Bethsaida, wasn't thrilled that I had to do this to you, but you just weren't cooperating."

"That's pretty typical for DiNozzo," Gibbs grumbled as he appeared behind Maddie and rested his hand on her shoulder. His eyes still twinkled when he looked down on Tony.

Dr. Hunnicutt began slowly removing the tape from Tony's mouth, "This is normally the point when I ask the family to step outside, but I've learned in the last few days that they aren't going anywhere. So, we'll do this with an audience. When I tell you to give a big cough."

Tony felt Maddie's hand slip into his and squeeze tightly. He kept his eyes focused on Gibbs and Maddie as the doctor instructed him to cough and the burn of the ventilator being removed raced up his throat. The fake cough quickly turned into a series of real coughs. He eyes closed as he tried to control the spasm and he could feel the familiar hands of Gibbs and the unfamiliar hands of the doctor lifting him to a position that would ease the coughing. When the fit finally subsided, he was lowered back to the bed and Maddie gently swabbed his mouth with a damp sponge brush.

Stilling croaking slightly, Tony asked, "What happened?"

Maddie looked at Gibbs for a moment, then brushed her hand against Tony's cheek, "There was an explosion on the USS Reagan."

"I know," Tony gave a small cough. "Who did it?"

In an uncharacteristic movement, Gibbs ran his hand through Tony's hair, "No one, Tony. There was a problem with some of the ammunition aboard ship and it set off a series of explosions."

Tears filled his eyes and he turned away from them, "How many were killed?"

"Twenty-two injured, you the most severely, and seventeen dead," Gibbs explained softly.

A small sob escaped Tony's lips.

Maddie moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, "They were all killed in the blast, Tony, so at least none of them suffered from their burns."

"No," Tony pushed Maddie away from him and looked at her then Gibbs then back to Maddie. "No, Sammie was alive when I found her. We talked, I read her your letters, she made me promise that I'd survive for… our… for us. She died in my arms, just an hour before the rescue crew found us."

"Agent DiNozzo," the doctor, who Tony had forgotten was in the room, spoke up, "are you referring to Seaman Samantha Weeks?"

"Yes," Tony cried, his voice a plea.

"I'm sorry, Agent, but I did the autopsy myself as this has left of rather shorthanded. She was killed immediately. And even if she wasn't there is no way she could have spoken as her esophagus and lungs were badly burnt."

"But I…"

The doctor interrupted him, "Agent DiNozzo, you suffered head trauma and lost a considerable amount of blood from the penetration to your leg. At some point you shifted the metal nicking your femoral artery and breaking your femur. I'm sure in your condition and the shock of seeing Seaman Weeks dead, perhaps you thought…"

"No," Tony screamed. "No, we talked. I swear to you."

Maddie cupped Tony's face in her hands and make him look at her, "I'm sure you did, baby. I'm sure Sammie was looking out for you. She'd want you to come back to me, I'm sure of it." A tear tracked down Maddie's cheek.

Tony nodded and pulled Maddie to him. The sound of their sobs filled the room.


	24. Ümitsiz bekleyis aka Hopeless Waiting

Yes, I know this is anti-climatic, but so is life. Plus, there will be more.

* * *

As Tony slowly started waking he stretched, however the burning sensation in his thigh quickly reminded him of his stitches and the damned external fixator keeping his broken femur together. With a sigh he opened his eyes to the same four, pale yellow walls that had greeted him for the last month. He was growing to truly hate the room and the hospital. If it weren't for the other sight that greeted him, Maddie; he would have gone crazy long before this.

Feeling Tony's eyes on her, Maddie looked up from her red laptop, which Abby had thoughtfully shipped along with several other goodies when they found out that Tony wouldn't be allowed home until the fixtor was removed.

"Hi there," the smile that Tony gave her was a genuine smile, something that hadn't graced his lips in weeks… maybe months.

Maddie returned the smile, "Hi, yourself. Wow, you never wake up in this good a mood."

"I had a dream about you during my nap."

"Ooo," Maddie cooed at him and put away the laptop so she could crawl up next to him on the bed. "Was it a sexy dream?"

Tony sighed, "No. You left me."

She pulled back from where she had just about settled in his arms, "What? You're happy that my dream self left you?"

"No," Tony tugged her back into his arms. "I'm happy that when I woke up you were still here. I guess part of me has been waiting for you to leave."

"Well, that part of you is going to have a hell of a long wait," Maddie assured him with a quick kiss to the jaw.

He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter as he inhaled her sweet scent. They'd known each other for less than a year, but somehow it seemed like they'd been together for a lifetime. He knew her. Knew every part of her body, her soul, and her mind. And she knew him. Knew his body, his soul, and his mind. Sometimes, however, little seeds of doubt would spring up him telling him that he didn't know her heart. Even as they laid there, Maddie's hand running comforting circles on his chest, he could feel a seed growing.

"You know, I've been thinking about what you told me about what Sammie said." Maddie broke the silence that was becoming surprisingly uncomfortable to Tony, "I've decided that there are no happy endings. There are only two types of love stories: Boy loses Girl or Girl loses Boy."

Panic set in as Tony silently begged for time to stop and Maddie to stop talking. He was sure that at any moment, she would get to the part where she told him she was going back to Virginia or worse California.

Her hand kept moving as she snuggled closer to him, "It sucks, but it is true. The only possible ending to any love story is for someone to lose the other person; through death or divorce or cheating or whatever. Someone is going to end up alone. Love is completely hopeless."

"Mads, what are you trying to say?"

"Nothing… Everything… Aw, hell," she pulled out his arms and sat on the edge of the bed. Turning to look at him, she scrunched up her nose. "Do you think it is possible that I'm asking you to marry me?"

"Huh," Tony stared at her like she'd grown two head.

Standing up, she started pacing the length of the room, "The last couple of weeks I've realized that love is about loss. When… when things didn't look good Jethro actually started telling me about when he lost Mrs. Gibbs… Shannon… cause he didn't want me to make the same mistakes he did. But the thing he actually taught me is that you have to make your time together count. Look," she turned back to him, "if love is the USS Hopeless, then at least I want to sail it with you. Yes, I know I've spent too much time in a Naval Hospital."

Tony couldn't help it, he laughed, which made Maddie decidedly angry. Holding up his hands, he tried apologizing, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh, but I was laying here thinking that you were going to leave and, instead, you basically say that since one of us is going to die, we might as well get married."

"That isn't exactly what I mean," Maddie sighed.

"I know, baby," Tony softened his voice and his face as he held out his arms to her. Once she was back in his arms, where she belonged, he continued, "I understand what you are saying and I love you, but I don't think that we should get married right now. After talking with Sammie, I'm sure we're going end up together and rather blissful, but right now we're both way too emotional after everything that has happened in the last few weeks and the next year is going to be rough with me going through PT and not being able to work."

"You're right."

"What's today's date?"

Maddie rolled her eyes, "I've told you that you were right before, you don't have to mark it in a calendar as a red letter day."

"No, Miss Smarty Pants, I want to know the date, because if the next year doesn't kill one or both of us, then I promise that I'll propose. And in a much more romantic setting."

"Oh. It's August 29th," Maddie smiled up at him. "Can your proposal involve chocolate and Rose Regale?"

"If it can be chocolate body paint and the Rose Regale is sipped from your naval," Tony wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"McQueen, you've got it confused, that's the honeymoon or just an appetizer of it," Maddie winked at him as she licked her lips.

Tony groaned. She was going to kill him before the doctor gave him the all clear.


	25. Leaving Normal

This story takes place immediately after Dai sing siu si aka _"Leaving Me, Loving You" _(2004)

* * *

As the tears subsided, Maddie pulled back and gave Jethro a weak smile, "Sorry, I got your shirt all wet."

"It's okay," he assured her. Looking down at the young woman in front of him, nearly forgotten memories of the child she was flooded his mind. Once again, he pulled her into a hug, "I promise that he will be home soon."

"I know, Jethro, I know." Maddie sighed as she extracted herself from his arms, "Funny, I always said that I'd be smarter than my mom and never get involved with a Marine. So what do I go and do? Date a Marine, who nearly gets me killed, and then fall in love with a guy who gets shipped off to police Marines… and sailors."

"Kelly used to say she wanted to marry a Marine," Jethro whispered.

Maddie smiled sadly, "Yeah, well, she had the good Marine dad, not mine."

"What?"

"Nothing, but ancient history," Maddie shook her head. "So, you never really answered Tony, but will you help me move some of my stuff? I could really use your truck. Tony's 'Vette isn't hack it and I can't see them letting me put my futon on a city bus."

Jethro sighed, "Is this what you really want?"

"No, what I really want is for Tony to be there with me, but I'll take this for now."

"Okay," Jethro nodded. "Just tell when and I'll be there."

"Thank you, Jethro," once again Maddie wrapped her arms around his waist, knowing that he'd just given his approval as well.

Wrapping his arms around the young girl, he rested his cheek against her hair and silently renewed his vow to bring Tony home… to her.


	26. If a Man Answers

Jethro had suggested that they go get breakfast, so by the time Maddie pulled into Tony's spot in the underground parking garage in his high rise two things had happened. One, she was much calmer then she had been right after Tony left and, two, the leasing office for the building was now open. Checking her purse to make sure that she had slipped the letter Tony wrote in there, Maddie took a deep breath, filling her senses with the smell of Tony, and headed for the office.

Using a swipe card, Maddie opened the metal fire door that led from the drab concrete garage into the ultra modern glass and metal front lobby. The first time she visited Tony, when he was sick from her food poisoning; she'd been shocked at the décor that didn't seem to fit Tony, even with his Armani suit and Movado watches. However, the first time he actually invited her over, she understood his reasoning for picking this building: a huge, comfortable, private movie theater with a popcorn machine and soda fountain. She fell in love, too.

Walking towards the glass enclosed leasing office, Maddie sighed. One thing she had learned living in her own apartment was that the staff changed… a lot. The man, well more like a boy, who sat behind the reception desk, was new and looked fairly clueless.

Still Maddie smiled as she approached the desk, "Hi. Is Jeff in today?"

"Jeff," the young man looked at her blankly.

"Jeff Dillon?"

The blank look continued.

"The manager?"

He just blinked at her.

"The tall blond who tells you what to do?"

"Oh," a light bulb appeared over his head. "Yes, he's here. He's in the office with… The guy with the tool belt?"

"Schnieder," Maddie jokingly suggested.

He screwed his face up in thought, "No, I don't think that is right."

A laugh escaped before she could suppress it, "You're probably right. I'm just going to go back, okay?"

He just shrugged.

Maddie was still rolling her eyes as she knocked on the glass door into Jeff's office. Inside, Jeff and Dan, the maintenance manager, looked up and smiled as they waved her in the closed door. Maddie was actually grateful that Dan was there, since she'd only meet Jeff a few times when Tony was renting the movie room or had stopped in the office, but Dan had been the one to get her a set of keys and swipe cards when Tony had asked and she'd been at the apartment the last couple of times that something had to be done in it.

"Hey, Maddie," Dan, an older Southern gentleman, stood as he greeted her. "Jeff, you know Maddie, right? She's Tony in 2308's girlfriend."

"Yeah, we've met a few times," Jeff smiled in greeting. "Something we can help you with?"

Maddie took a breath and slipped into the indicated chair, she had to force herself not to curl her legs under her as was her habit, "Yes, actually. Tony was rather unexpectedly reassigned to be an Agent Afloat and left for the USS Reagan today. He wants me to move in, but he wasn't sure how to go about it."

"Well, unfortunately, we should have Tony here to confirm that these are his wishes before we do anything. I can't just put you in the lease and then find out that he didn't want it done," Jeff explained, tersely.

"Would a letter work," Maddie asked, fishing the letter from her purse and handing it over.

Jeff read in silence for a few moments before looking up at her, "I'll just go get an application. You will of course have to pass our credit and criminal background checks."

"I don't think either will be a problem."

Without another word Jeff stood and walked out of his office.

"Sorry about that, sweetheart," Dan shook his head. "Jeff's always had a bit of a crush on Tony."

"Oh," comprehension and a slow smile spread across her face.

Dan winked at her, "Just don't tell him, I told you."

"I won't," Maddie laughed as Jeff reentered the room and thrust a small stack of papers at her.

"The application, rental requirements, and consent forms. When can you have them back to me?"

Maddie tried to remain polite despite his rough tone, "I'll do them right now. When do you think you'll have an answer for me?"

Jeff sank with a defeated sigh into his chair, "It only takes about 40 minutes to run everything and it should be faster, since I can link it to Tony's application."

"Great," Maddie smiled at him brightly. "May I borrow a pen?"

An hour later Maddie left the leasing office with the new roommate addendum in her hand and a new home address.


	27. Two Smart People

Maddie was still putting her long blonde curls into a ponytail as she answered her apartment door; the sight before actually made her freeze mid-pull and left a weird lump on the back of her head. Blinking a few times, Maddie finally managed a smile, "Abby. I wasn't expecting you today."

Abby shrugged, but it encompassed her whole body and made her bounce on the balls of her feet, "Gibbs, said that you needed people to help you move to Tony's."

"No… Well… Um…," Maddie stopped and looked at the other woman slightly apologetically. "I'm sorry. All I mean is that I don't have that much stuff to move. Just a few boxes and my futon, but I'm sure Jethro and I can handle it."

Abby moved into the apartment now that Maddie had moved away from the door, "Actually, Gibbs isn't coming today. He said that you said it wasn't much, so I asked him if I could help instead."

"Oh," Maddie swallowed nervously.

"Do I scare you," Abby narrowed her eyes as she moved behind the younger woman and carefully smoothed out the ponytail.

Maddie sighed, "Yes, but not in the way you think. Mostly I'm scared that you aren't going to like me. I know how much Tony loves and respects you and I'm terrified that you aren't going to think I'm good enough for him or something. Of all the people in Tony's life, you're the one I want to accept me."

"Oh," Abby nodded in understanding as she moved away from Maddie and flopped on the futon. "Wow. Really?"

Maddie merely nodded.

"Well, that is ironic. I've been worried that you wouldn't accept me. That's why I wanted to help you move, so I could convince you to like me."

"Why wouldn't I accept or like you," Maddie asked, sitting on the other end of the futon.

Abby shrugged, but this time is confined to her shoulders and seemed sad, "People have a hard time getting passed the tattoos and stuff."

"Oh, Abby," Maddie reached out and took the other woman's hand. "I got passed them the moment you crushed me in a hug in the hospital after… you know. And hearing Tony and Jethro talk about you… I wish I could be as kind and loving and smart as you."

Abby laughed, "So, basically, we could probably have been great friends by now, if we weren't so caught up in worrying about what the other person might think."

"Yeah. That and the fact I know that if I hurt Tony, you can kill me and not leave any forensic evidence."

"True, but as long as you understand that, we'll be fine."

"Great. Then we better get this stuff over to Tony's." As Maddie stood and picked up a box, she suddenly turned and looked at Abby, "We'll never get this stuff in your hot rod."

"Which is why I brought the hearse," Abby explained also grabbing a box.

Following Abby out of the apartment, Maddie shook her head, "Yeah, I can't understand why people might get the wrong impression of you."

Laughter filled the hallway.


	28. A Sense of Loss

"Okay, maybe that was a little harder than I expected," Maddie admitted as she handed Abby a beer and collapsed into Tony's leather sofa.

Abby shot her a look, "Ya think?"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that the service elevator was reserved for a penthouse move-in," Maddie defended.

"Well, all I know is that I'm never carrying a futon up seven flights of stairs again. Ever!"

Maddie rolled her head against the back of the couch to look at where the futon had just been dropped by the two woman, "Stupid thing should be moved into the den I guess."

"In a minute. When I'm not dead and more buzzed," Abby replied taking a long pull on her beer.

"Speaking of dead," Maddie glared at Abby, "I'm never laying in the back of a hearse again. I've got bruises on places that shouldn't get bruised."

"Hey! I told you to lay on your back," Abby pointed out.

"Yeah, but then I couldn't hold the door."

Both women suddenly burst into laughter at the memory of Maddie laying on the futon in the back of the hearse frantically clutching at the door to keep it closed, since the futon was just an inch too long to allow the door to latch. Over every bump, Maddie screamed and Abby apologized, until they both were laughing so hard Abby had to pull over to calm down.

Now, as their laughter slowly eased, Abby turned to study the futon in question, "So, if your friend Meg was going to take all your furniture to a woman's shelter, why not let her have the futon, too? It is kinda beat."

"Too many memories," Maddie spoke without hesitation.

"First place you and Tony made love," Abby asked, turning to face Maddie with piqued interest.

"No," Maddie thought for a moment. "You know, I don't think we've ever made love on that. I don't think that futon has ever seen any sex."

"My god, a virgin futon. You'll have to fix that as soon as Tony gets home," Abby chuckled. "So, if not sex, what memories does it hold?"

Maddie looked away for a moment, then drew her legs up to her chest, "Kelly Gibbs helped me pick it out a few months before she was killed."

"Oh," Abby whispered quietly, her eyes falling on the futon, the first thing she'd ever seen with a connection to the child Gibbs lost.

Maddie kept talking, in a soft voice, "After my dad shipped out, my mom decided to redo my bedroom, so I asked if Kelly could help. We picked a futon, so that it could fold out and she could sleep over. Even when she'd just come over to play, we'd fold it out and use it as an obstacle course of our horses. We were going to be gold medal winners in the equestrian events in the Olympics someday. She died the day of our first lesson."

Abby scooted closer to the younger woman and wrapped an arm around her.

"I didn't leave my bed for three days, cause I thought I'd be closer to her there. Yet, it took me a year before I got back up on a horse," Maddie looked at Abby for a moment before dropping her head on Abby's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Maddie. Losing my best friend in my thirties was hard enough, but to lose your best friend at eight," Abby shook her head.

"I don't know," Maddie sniffed. "Part of me knows that Kelly and I probably wouldn't be friends now, considering I know nearly no one from when I was a kid. But, you and Kate; you should have been friends for years."

Abby looked at Maddie in shock, "How did you know I was talking about Kate?"

"Tony told me what you were like after Kate died and how you treated Ziva at first. I understood, perfectly."

Abby held her a little closer, "Yeah, you do."


	29. The First Assignment

From: Maddie

To: Tony

Subject: Great news

Hey Handsome,

Guess what? You can no longer call yourself my sugar daddy. That's right. I finally got a job… a real job not just working in the campus bookstore… and it even uses my degree. Bet you're shocked.

Starting next Monday I'll be working at Eternal Trail in Burgundy Village. I may regret telling you this, but it is a breeding stable and my main task is to prepare the stallions for the mount. Yes, that is what that sounds like. No, you may not make fun of my job.

It is kinda the low man on the totem pole job, but Pam, who owns the stable and happens to be a retired Army wife, says that I'll be able to start apprenticing in the lab in a few months. It really is a great opportunity and I'm very excited, but terrified. What if I screw up? This is all I've ever wanted to do, Tony. What if I can't hack it? Ugh… I think I'm talking myself into a case of the nerves. I wish you were here to reassure me.

You do think I can do this, right?

Help!

* * *

From: Tony

To: Maddie

Subject: Re: Great news

Baby,

I tried calling, but you're not at home and your cell went to voicemail. Hope everything is okay. Now what I was going to say on the phone:

Calm down! You are going to be so good at this job, trust me. This is what you've spent all these years studying for. I know that you'll do a great job. I've known all along that as soon as you started looking someone would snap you right up. You're brilliant and you've got the grades to prove it. All you need is a little experience and this sounds like the perfect opportunity to get it. I'm rooting for you and am sure you're going to knock their socks off. I'll call you on Monday to see how your first day went.

I love you.

Love,

Tony

P.S. Aren't you proud of me for not making one joke in this?

* * *

From: Maddie

To: Tony

Subject: RE: RE: Great news

Hey Handsome,

I'm sorry I missed your calls, but Meg and Abby dragged me out to a club to celebrate the new job. (Let me tell you that was a sight: Soccer Mom Meg and Goth Abby gyrating and sweating to Metallica.) The club was so loud I couldn't hear my cell, but I have listened to your message a few million times. It made me feel so much better. I can't wait to talk to you on Monday.

I love you, too.

Always yours,

Maddie.

P.S. Very proud… you might hurt yourself restraining like that.

* * *

From: Tony

To: Maddie

Subject: RE: RE: RE: Great news

I blame you for the dirty pictures in my head!

I got the phone for 6PM your time. Will you be home or on your cell?

* * *

From: Maddie

To: Tony

Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: Great news

;-)

I'll make sure I'm at home. Hate talking to you on the cell; I'm always afraid I'll lose you.


	30. Doing His Duty 1929

"Don't hang up, don't hang up," was the mantra that Maddie kept repeating as she fought with her smart key in the apartment lock. She could hear the phone ringing inside and figured that since it was a few minutes passed six o'clock Tony calling to check on how her first day of work had gone. She didn't want to miss the call, but of course the stupid smart key's chip wouldn't line up with the lock. "Damn it," she swiftly kicked the door and the key dropped into place and let the door open. Racing to the kitchen counter, Maddie grabbed the cordless and pressed the call button only to be greeted by the dial tone. Sighing, Maddie checked the caller ID log, mildly relieved when she saw that the call came from the front door call box. At least whoever called would probably call back in a moment.

To confirm her theory, the phone rang just a few seconds later and Maddie slapped the speaker button on the base, "Hello?"

"Hey, Maddie," Abby's voice filled the room. "Can I come up?"

"Sure. I'm going to get changed, so I'll leave the door open," Maddie pushed nine on her phone, which disconnected the call and buzzed open the lobby door.

Making her way into the bedroom, Maddie toed off her sneakers and pulled off her t-shirt. The sound of the apartment door opening and closing made Maddie pause in pulling on her comfortable sweats, "That you, Abs?"

"Yeah," Abby's voice was tight as she called through the apartment. "Gibbs is with me, so make sure you're decent when you come out."

A chill ran down Maddie's spine. All day she knew something was wrong, but she put it down to first day nerves at the new job. Now she knew better. Emerging from the bedroom all it took was one look at Abby's tear stained face and Gibb's tight expression to confirm it. She knew that it would be Gibbs's duty to inform her of Tony's dea… She grabbed the door jam, "Is he dead?"

Abby was across the room like a shot, "No… no… we don't know for sure, but no. I'd know. Gibbs'd know. And you'd certainly know. He'll be okay, I'm sure of it."

As Abby wrapped her in a bone crushing hug, Maddie stood on tiptoes to look at Gibbs over Abby's shoulder, "What happened?"

Gibbs moved to were the women were standing and gently pulled them apart before leading them to the couch. Sitting on the coffee table, looking at Maddie, Gibbs slowly began to recount the information they knew so far, "There has been some type of explosion on the Reagan. At this point it is unknown what caused the explosion and where exactly it came from."

"Tony," Maddie asked as she reached for Abby's hand.

"Hasn't been found, yet," Gibbs explained placing a hand on her shoulder. "They're working as fast as they can to find him, Maddie. I promise you."

Maddie just nodded, tears clinging to her lashes.

"Mads, I'll stay with you until we hear something, okay," Abby brushed back Maddie's hair slightly.

"No. I'd like to go to the Navy Yard, please."

"Maddie, I don't think…"

She interrupted Gibbs, "No, I am going to the Navy Yard. They'll probably medivac Tony to Japan or Hawaii, since they were in the Pacific. When they find him, I'll need to be able to get there quickly. It will be better if I'm there already. I'm going to pack a bag."

Gibbs and Abby watched as Maddie stood and moved back into the bedroom.

"Will she be okay," Abby asked quietly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Gibbs opened his arms and allowed Abby to snuggle into his chest, "Only if he is."


	31. Look Back in Anger

**SPOILER:** Gibbs's new team is named in here.

Maddie had only been to the Navy Yard a few times; most notably the time she enlisted Jethro's help and a few times later when the truth about her relationship with Tony had been revealed. But walking into the bullpen with Jethro and Abby, she could feel how very wrong it was to have other people sitting at Tony's, Ziva's and McGee's desks. Special Agent Brent Langer actually stood and moved away from what had been Tony's desk when he saw Maddie with his boss and the forensic scientist. Whether it was out of surprise or empathy, Maddie wasn't sure. Special Agent Daniel Keating just stared at the trio and most pointedly at Maddie, while Special Agent Michelle Lee was the first to speak.

"Director Vance has been looking for you, sir."

"I'm sure," Jethro growled as he stored his gun and shield. "Any word yet?"

Lee cast a glance at Maddie and stammered for a moment, before Langer moved up to the desk and began reporting, "A full roll has finally been taken and there are only 39 people unaccounted for, including Agent DiNozzo. Rescue crews are still working their way down to the blast zone. No serious injuries or casualties have been report yet."

Maddie processed the words and distilled their meaning: no one knew if Tony was dead or alive yet. A voice said something behind her and she turned to look at who had spoken. Suddenly her vision blurred and all the clichés about seeing red came true. She had no memory of actually moving, until her fist made contact with his chest. In the distance, she could hear her voice screaming that this was all his fault and using language she hadn't heard since her father's drunken punch ups with her mother. She felt Abby's long and surprisingly strong arms wrapped around her waist and soon her feet were no longer touching the ground. She was still kicking violently as Abby dragged her away from the object of her anger, Director Vance.

The world crashed down and the tears she had been holding at bay escaped as Abby maneuvered them both into Jethro's arms. For the second time in just as many months, Maddie found herself sobbing into Jethro's chest.


	32. The Very Thought of You

The lightening skies and the lengthening shadows found Maddie Tyler sitting cross legged on one of the NCIS conference tables.

After calming down from her earlier outburst towards Vance, she'd spent most of the night silently staring out into the inky blackness of night over the Anaconda, trying not to picture Tony DiNozzo in a coffin. It was a more difficult task than she ever imagined. In her mind she had arranged nearly everything. Except telling his father, which she hoped Jethro would handle. And what exactly she was going to do with her life, which she suddenly realized she couldn't fathom without Tony by her side.

Abby had spent a good portion of the night convincing her that she should think positively and making statement about Tony's amazing ability to come out of things unscathed. But as the hours wore on and the news from the USS Reagan came in short and increasingly horrible burst, even Abby's eternal optimism started falling. Abby had left the room an hour earlier trying desperately to hide her tears, leaving Maddie in solitude and silence. Frankly, Maddie was grateful for both.

As actual sunlight filtered into the room, Maddie moved her stiff and tired body to check the clock on the wall. It read just a few moments before 6 AM, but considering she was supposed to be at work by 6:30 she figured it would be safe to call her boss and let her know what was happening. Climbing off the table she slowly made her way to the door that she'd dropped her purse next to a few hours earlier. Pulling her cell phone from the outside pocket she always kept it in, she also pulled out a folded piece of paper. Scooping up the paper, she nearly dropped the phone when she realized that it was the first letter she'd written Tony after his assignment to the USS Reagan. By the wear on the letter Tony had read it several times before he sent it back with little notes and things scribbled all over it. She was positive that she had put this in the box where she kept all his letters. She sat on the floor rereading her words and his.

Reading the last lines (Come home to me, Tony. I will, Maddie) the door opened and Maddie smiled up at the figure of Jethro Gibbs, "He's alive, isn't he?"

"Yes," Jethro blinked down at her. "How did you know?"

"I just thought so," she kissed the paper before slipping it back into the pocket of her purse.


	33. Modes of Travel in Japan

"What," Maddie asked as she realized that Jethro was staring at her.

"You're smiling," the statement sounded like it was an impossible task and at the moment it probably should have been.

Maddie shook her head slightly, "Yeah, I just haven't flown 'Space A' in years. It brings back memories."

"Like," Jethro prompted with a single word.

"Oh, I don't know," Maddie sighed and turned from looking out the plane window to curl into the jump seat a little more. "My father didn't believe in vacations; couldn't understand why'd you take time off work to go spend money. Still, about once a year my mom could guilt him into it. We always fly 'Space A,' which meant we never knew where our vacation was going to be. Whatever was the first flight with room for the five us is where we'd go. We had some great trips: Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, even Germany once. Course, we also spent and unnatural amount of time in Delaware cause of Dover AFB, but at least we weren't far from the ocean."

Jethro continued looking at her for a long moment before he reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry, Mads."

"Tony's going to be okay," she assumed that's what Jethro meant.

"Not talking about that, kiddo. I should have known and stopped it."

"Known what," she blinked, trying to understand what she'd given away.

He just continued to stare at her. His blue eyes telling her that he knew the truth and, worst still, he knew she knew.

Sighing, she again looked out the window, "I was twelve before he laid a hand on me, so it you couldn't have known or done anything about it."

"How long was he hitting your mother?"

"My whole life." She rolled her head to look at him, "It wasn't until I met Kelly that I understood what a family was supposed to look and feel like. It's one of those things that Tony and I have in common."

"Not sure bastard fathers are something to be glad to have in common," Jethro growled.

"No, Jethro," Maddie wrapped her arms around his and laid her head on his shoulder, "I meant finding family and love with you. You've taught both of us what a father should be and what family should feel like."

Jethro scoffed, "What kind of father can't protect his children?"

"The human kind," Maddie kissed his cheek.

Jethro just sighed.

Maddie shook her head, "Jethro, there are a lot of fathers out there who wouldn't even cross the room to check on their biological, infant son. You, however, are on a plane with uncomfortable jump seats, no temperature control, and no food flying half way round the world to be with a non-relative adult. That is a good father."

"Don't forget the non-relative adult that I'm flying with," Jethro pulled his arm out from Maddie's and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I'm going to try to not let anything happen to either of you, ever again."

"We don't expect that. We just want you to be here for us, if it does," Maddie snuggled down against him.

Kissing her crown, he sighed, "I'll be there."


	34. A Way of Caring

Maddie was beginning to feel like she'd been living in her clothes for a week as Jethro and she stood before the third nurses' station that they'd been directed to in the hour since their arrival at Okinawa Naval Hospital. She was dirty and sweaty and hadn't slept, save a cat nap on the plane, in over 24 hours. The organized chaos – no hospital, even military, is truly prepared for 22 critically injured and 17 dead to arrive in moments of each other despite all the training in the world – swirling around her was pushing her to the brink of mental and emotional collapse. The only thing keeping her from throttling the next person who looked at her was Jethro's calm and reassuring hand on her back. The man who could fly into a rage over a miss placed comma in a report was a sea of calm and patience. Maddie was torn between feeling grateful and completely freaked out by this. She had to remind herself that Jethro was a war veteran and had probably been in worse place under worse situations.

Just as she thought her last nerve was about to snap, a voice came from behind them, "Agent Gibbs, Miss Tyler?"

They turned as one to come face to face with a tall, tired, graying man in a blood splattered pair of scrubs. Maddie was grateful when Jethro answered, "Yes. You are?"

"I'm Doctor Hunnicutt…"

Despite herself and the situation, or perhaps because of it, Maddie giggled suddenly.

The doctor nodded, "I get that a lot. At least I'm Navy not Army."

"I'm sorry," Maddie blushed. "I'm just really tired."

Dr. Hunnicutt nodded in understanding, "Why don't we get out the hubbub and someplace quieter?"

Maddie and Jethro followed the doctor down several small corridors, which all seemed to be filled with people and medical equipment. Finally, they arrived at a small consultation room. When the door closed behind them the hushed clamor of the hospital faded away and Maddie felt herself breathe more deeply.

Dr. Hunnicutt pulled out a chair for Maddie as he indicated that Jethro should take the other chair. Settling on the rolling stool, he sighed, "I first want to apologize for my appearance. It's been a long day, but I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. I understand that you are both listed as Agent DiNozzo's next of kin, so I'm just going to deal with the facts the best I can. Obviously, Agent DiNozzo has been under my care since he arrived here at Okinawa. Do you know anything of his condition?"

"No, we've been in transit for about twenty hours. The last information we had was that he was in critical condition," Jethro explained as Maddie slowly slipped her hand into his.

"That is still his condition, although more stable," Dr. Hunnicutt paused and looked closely at Maddie and Jethro. "Exactly how much detail do you want?"

"All of it," was Maddie's immediate response. "I've studied veterinary medicine and Jethro's a Marine, so I think we can handle it, but more than that I need to know."

The doctor nodded, "Very well. During the blast, Agent DiNozzo had a piece of shrapnel lodged in his left upper thigh. The piece was very large about a six by six piece of metal, but fortunately Agent DiNozzo didn't attempt to remove it as he would have bleed out. Also, he was able to clean and wrap the wound, but didn't put a tourniquet around his leg, so the there was blood flow."

Maddie smiled to herself remembering the article she had read him a few months before and Tony's teasing about his merit badge being worthless. Apparently something of the article sunk in.

The doctor continued, unaware of her thoughts, "Unfortunately, while trying to escape the blast area and possibly help a Seaman, who was deceased, Agent DiNozzo further imbedded the shrapnel in his leg. This time a small crack to the femur became a large break and his femoral artery was nicked. We operated to remove the shrapnel, repair the artery and the femur. Since the leg injury was a Type III Open Fracture, we're worried about infection decided to use an external fixator. Of course, Agent DiNozzo has a variety of more minor injuries as well, but the femur is our main concern at this time."

"Is he conscious," Jethro asked rather quietly.

Dr. Hunnicutt sighed, "No, he lost consciousness moments after rescue crews found him. He didn't regain consciousness before surgery, so that is a concern due to a suspected blow to the back of the head."

Maddie sniffed then smiled, "Oh, Tony's got a pretty hard head."

"I'm sure," Dr. Hunnicutt smiled at her. "Would you like to see him?"

Both Maddie and Jethro nodded.

"To warn you, he is pretty banged up and has several pieces of equipment coming off him. Besides the external fixtor, Agent DiNozzo has an IV shunt for antibiotics and pain relievers and is on a ventilator."

"What about VALI," Maddie's eyes grew wide. "Tony's lung were damaged when he had y. pestis."

Before the doctor could respond, Jethro asked, "VALI?"

"Ventilator-associated lung injury," Maddie and Dr. Hunnicutt explained at the same time.

Bowing her head slightly, Maddie indicated that he should continue.

"You know your stuff, Miss Tyler."

Maddie blushed, "I took some pre-med courses while studying for my degree."

"And with Agent DiNozzo's lung problems, you've done some extra research," the doctor's speculation was confirmed by Maddie's blush. "Well, you are correct that VALI could be a problem, but we've taken some extra precautions and I've spoken with Dr. Pitt back at Bethesda, who isn't thrilled with the situation, but did approve of what we've done. Right now, Agent DiNozzo needs to be on the ventilator to control his erratic breathing, which could be worst for his lungs."

Maddie smiled and nodded slightly, a light blush still coloring her cheeks.

Standing the doctor indicated the door, "Come. Let's go see your Agent."

Again Maddie and Jethro found themselves following the maze of bustling hallways and corridors that made up the hospital. Arriving at a set of large double doors, Dr. Hunnicutt pushed a button that allowed the doors to swing open to reveal ICU. The stark white room, with its small patient glassed in cubicles, was clean and quiet, same for the beep of heart monitors and the whoosh of ventilators.

A woman would the doctor had called over came bustling towards them, gentle smile on her face.

"You've got to be Maddie," the nurse extended her hand towards Maddie.

Shocked, Maddie didn't reach to return the handshake, "Yes. How did you know?"

"I'm sorry that was a little forward. You see when I was processing Agent DiNozzo's things a found a picture of you and some letters," she bit her lip as she explained. "I'm Agent DiNozzo's primary nurse, Autumn Howe."

"Well, Autumn, you're right this is Miss Tyler and this is Agent Gibbs. They've come all the way from DC to be with Agent DiNozzo, so I think we can bend the rules and let them stay with him for a while," Dr. Hunnicutt laid his hand on her shoulder to reinforce his gentle order.

"Of course," Autumn nodded at the doctor. "Agent DiNozzo is right over here."

As she started to follow the nurse, Maddie sighed, "Do you think you could call him Tony? Tony hates being 'agented' or 'sirred' to death. Oh, god, bad choice of words."

"Tony's not dying; I won't allow it," Jethro squeezed Maddie's hand, which was still cradled in his own.

Nearly at Tony's cubicle Maddie stopped cold, pulling Jethro's hand as he continued to walk forward.

Turning to look at her, Jethro moved right in front of her, "Maddie, are you okay?"

Maddie blinked a few times, before looking up at him, "I'm not sure I can do this. What if I can't this? What if I can't be there for him?"

"You can do this," Jethro eased his hand out of her grasp and gently cupped her face in his hands. "You love Tony and you're going to focus on that fact and the fact that he loves you. You're strong enough to do this. And when you aren't; that's when I'm here."

Tears filled her eyes as she nodded.

Brushing away the tears that escaped with his thumbs, Jethro kissed her forehead. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders and allowing her to wrap around his waist, they turned and proceeded to the glass window. The first sight of Tony, pale beneath the cuts and bruises, made Maddie straighten her back.

"What do I need to do to go in with him?"

"Just wash your hands," Autumn pointed to a nearby sink.

After washing her hands and arms up to the elbows and her face, Maddie strode into the cubicle. As one hand wove through his hair, Maddie leaned down to his ear, "Hey, McQueen, I'm finally here. It took me three Schedule A flights, one of which Jethro, yes he's here too, and I were basically strapped to a bench in a cargo plane; but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere until you come with me. Tony, I know you can hear me, so rest now cause you've got a couple of days max before I start getting annoyed. I love you, Tony."

Maddie laid her head next to Tony's as tears starting falling. She could feel Jethro's soothing hand run circles on her back as his breaking voice ordered Tony well.


	35. The Choices We Make

"Hey," Maddie smiled as she entered the room and put the large box on the rolling table.

Straining to sit up a little more to look in the box, Tony returned the greeting, "Did you go shopping after taking Gibbs to the airport?"

"No, this came special delivery for us," Maddie reached into the box, but stopped to look up at Tony again. "By the way, the next time Jethro needs a ride to the airport, you're going with him. I swear that man can hold onto guilt with an iron fist. He must have apologized for having to head back to Virginia about a hundred times between here and there."

"I hate to admit it, but I'm kinda glad he was needed back at the Navy Yard. Gibbs and I tend to have expiration date on medically forced care, and it isn't pretty when we go passed it."

Maddie laughed, "So, three weeks nearly at your expiration date?"

"Actually, it is usually ten days, then he calls Ducky or Abby to come take of me. You know, just so he doesn't kill me. You must have had a preservative nature to our time." As Maddie just shook her head, Tony tried reaching for the box, "What we'd get?"

Batting away his hand, Maddie admonished, "Watch it. You don't want to spill this stuff out on you. Seems Abby, hearing that we'd be in Japan for at least another three weeks, decided to help relieve some boredom. She convinced Dan, our maintenance guy, to help her break into our apartment, which was a good thing cause there had been a gallon of milk on the counter for the last three weeks. They cleaned that up and the refrigerator out."

"And sent it to us," Tony turned up his nose.

"No, you goof," Maddie rolled her eyes. "She sent us the stuff she went in there to steal: our portable DVD player, a selection of DVD's and my laptop."

"Abs, I love you," Tony made grabby hands towards the box. "What DVD's?"

"She picked some really good ones," Maddie reached into the box and started pulling out DVD cases, as she read the title Tony respond with famous line. "Casablanca."

"'Here's looking at you, kid.'"

"The Thomas Crown Affair – original version, of course."

"'What do you get for the man who has everything?'"

"Marnie."

"'You're very sexy with your face clean.'"

Maddie looked up, "Seriously, that's the line you pick for that movie? Not 'The best thing for the inside of a man or a woman is the outside of a horse.'"

"Hey, I could have done, 'You Freud, me Jane?'"

Maddie shook her head, "You're hopeless. Finding Forrester. You own this movie?"

"Of course, its Connery isn't," Tony grabbed the movie from her. "'Women will sleep with you if you write a bad book.' Oh, so that's why Probie writes!"

"Deep Six was good, Agent Tommy," Maddie ducked as 'Finding Forrester came back at her. "Oh, finally the scary stuff. Psycho."

"'A boy's best friend is his mother.'"

"The Shining"

"'Here's Johnny!'"

"The Village."

"So not scary when compared to The Shining, but 'Do your very best not to scream.'"

Maddie laughed, "Not as scary, no, but you've got all the M. Night Shyamalan's. Oh, I love The Sixth Sense."

"'I see dead'," Tony stopped and turned his head from her. "Let's not watch that one, okay?"

Maddie looked down at the DVD cover in her hand and then at Tony, she knew he was thinking about Sammie – a subject he'd been brooding about for weeks. Sighing, she quickly shoved the DVD's back in the box and moved the table, so she could sit next to him on the bed. Picking up his hand, she began stroking it tenderly, "If you don't want to, you don't have to tell me, but what did you talk to Sammie about on the ship?"

"We didn't. Remember, she was dead when I found her," Tony still refused to look at her.

"Tony," she gently laid her hand on his cheek and turned his head towards her. "There are more things in heaven and earth than we can conceive of. I believe you talked to her. I believe that she, whether it was her living body or her soul, spoke to you. Someday, I hope that you choose to share that with me."

As she started to get up, Tony gently pulled her back down, "Lay down with me?"

Maddie nodded and gently crawled up onto the bed. They had already discovered the spots where Maddie could rest her head and arm without causing Tony any real pain and spent a good part of everyday curled up talking or simply listening to the other person breathe in assurance of life. Curling into her spot, Maddie waited until Tony was ready to talk.

"Do you ever think about the future," Tony asked quietly, his head now resting on hers.

Maddie nodded against his chest.

"Our future?"

Maddie sighed quietly, "More than I probably should."

Tony fell silent again for several long minutes, before finally continuing, "I never told anyone this, not even you, but after Kate died I decided that if I ever got lucky enough to have a little girl I'd name her Caitlyn. While I was abroad the Reagan, I started thinking about a little girl again, but her name was Kelly Caitlyn and… and she was our daughter. When I thought I was talking to Sammie, I read her your letters to comfort and distract her from the pain. I guess really I was reading them to comfort and distract me. Now, I'm scared… that we don't have a future."

"Tony," Maddie propped herself up to look down at him, "you're not making sense. How does Sammie have anything to do with our future?"

"Because she saw it. Said it played like a black and white movie in her mind while I read your letters. If she was dead," Tony trailed off as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Maddie laid her head down on his chest again, "It doesn't matter. Tony, our future is ours. Maybe Sammie saw it, maybe she didn't. Maybe you dreamt the conversation with Sammie, maybe you didn't. The future is ours to make, succeed or fail. We're in control of the choices we make that will determine the length, very long, and course, very happy, of our relationship. Although, I like the name Kelly Caitlyn, we could call her K.C."

Tony's eyes grew wide as he turned to look at Maddie.


	36. All I Desire

Tony deepened the kiss; his tongue exploring and tasting her mouth with need and desire. His hand, which had been resting at her waist, slowly began ascending up her body. When his thumb darted across her nipple, Maddie's eyes flew open.

Carefully, but quickly, she pulled away from him and got off the hospital bed. Arranging her rumbled clothes, she looked down at him, "Tony, we can't."

"Why not? We've do it before," Tony pouted at her.

"Not with metal sticking out of your leg," Maddie pointed towards Tony's still healing leg.

Staring at the fixator like he'd never seen it before, Tony shrugged, "I forgot about that."

"Forgot? You forgot about that?"

"Hey," Tony struggled to a more upright position. "You should be flattered. This thing hurts. Bad. All the time. But a good make out session with you and I forgot about it."

"Okay, that is flattering," Maddie blushed as she returned to Tony's side, "but we can't get out of hand. I mean you're still in the hospital and do you know how embarrassing that would be to explain."

Tony smirked, "I don't think we'd need to explain it to anyone who walked in."

"Yeah, well, try this conversation on for size. 'Hi, Jethro or Abby, Tony's not going to be heading to Bethsaida this weekend after all. Why not? Oh, we just bent a couple of his pins before Dr. Hunnicutt could remove them. How did we bend them? Oh, you know, just having sex.'"

Tony blushed beet red, "Okay, no sex until the fixator's off."

"No sex until the doctor says so," Maddie shook her head.

"Then you have to leave the room… No you have to leave Japan."

"Why," Maddie laughed.

"Cause I'm finally feeling better and I don't want to die of desire," Tony lightly and teasingly pushed her off the bed.

"I don't think you can actually die from that."

Tony shook his head, "Fine, don't leave. I'll just prove it to you."

"Tony, sweetheart," Maddie used a husky voice as she stalked back over to the bed, "may I just remind you that tomorrow Dr. Hunnicutt will be removing that nasty fixator. Do you know what that means?"

"Sex," Tony's face beamed in anticipation.

"No, general anesthesia, followed by two days of intensive physical therapy and a 20 hour flight hour this weekend. Babe, it'll be months before your ready again," Maddie gave a quick peck to his lips.

"You do know I hate you sometimes, right," Tony's head dropped back in defeat.

Maddie crawled back into the bed and wrapped her arms around him, "Long as you love me the rest of the time."

"Always and forever, Maddie. Always and forever."


End file.
